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/ 


PLATE  1 


Ferasubua,  an  Artificial  Islet,  Malaita. 


GRAMMAR  AND  VOCABULARY 


OF  THE 

LAU  LANGUAGE, 

SOLOMON  ISLANDS 


Published  by  the  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington 

Washington,  1921 


CARNEGIE  INSTITUTION  OF  WASHINGTON 

Publication  No.  300 


PRESS  OF  GIBSON  BROS.,  INC. 
WASHINGTON 


PREFACE. 


4-33 

Ivi? 


Lau  is  the  name  given  to  the  language  spoken  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  artificial  islets  which  lie  off  the  northeast 
coast  of  Big  Malaita,  Solomon  Islands.  The  language 
spoken  on  the  coast  from  Uru  on  the  northeast  to  Lan- 
galanga,  Alite  Harbor,  on  the  northwest  of  Big  Malaita, 
is  practically  Lau.  On  the  west  coast  there  is  consid¬ 
erable  admixture  of  Fiu,  which  is  the  language  of  the 
bush  behind  the  Langalanga  lagoon.  In  Dr.  Codrington's 
“Melanesian  Languages,”  pp.  39  et  seq.,  certain  words 
are  given  as  spoken  at  Alite  in  Langalanga.  These  words 
are  probably  Fiu  rather  than  Lau. 

The  purest  Lau  is  spoken  at  Sulufou,  one  of  the  artificial 
islets  near  Atta  Cove.  The  inhabitants  of  Ai-lali,  on  the 
mainland  of  Big  Malaita  opposite  the  island  Aio,  are  an 
offshoot  of  the  Lau-speaking  peoples.  In  Port  Adam 
(Malau)  on  Little  Malaita,  some  12  miles  north  of  Sa‘a, 
there  are  two  villages,  Ramarama  and  Malede,  inhabited 
by  Lau-speaking  peoples,  and  the  inhabitants  of  these  vil¬ 
lages  hold  as  a  tradition  that  their  forefathers  migrated 
from  Suraina,  near  Atta  Cove,  80  miles  away,  along  the 
coast  to  the  north. 

The  Lau  of  this  grammar  and  vocabulary  was  learned 
from  dealings  with  the  Port  Adam  natives  and  also  from 
a  stay  of  several  weeks  with  Rev.  A.  I.  Hopkins,  at 
Mangoniia,  on  the  mainland  opposite  the  artificial  islet 
Ferasubua. 

It  is  not  claimed  that  the  Lau  here  presented  is  the  same 
as  the  Lau  of  the  northeast  coast  of  Big  Malaita.  Doubt¬ 
less  owing  to  the  Port  Adam  peoples  being  surrounded  by 
Sa‘a-speaking  peoples,  they  have  adopted  Sa‘a  words  and 
methods  of  speech  to  some  extent.  The  women  of  the  hill 
peoples  above  Port  Adam  have  largely  been  procured  as 
wives  for  the  Port  Adam  men  and  thus  there  has  been  a 
tendency  for  the  distinctiveness  of  the  Lau  language  to 
disappear  and  for  the  Sa‘a  words  to  be  adopted.  While 
this  tendency  was  perhaps  not  very  great  previous  to 
the  introduction  of  Christianity  (for  the  village  children 

/'  .  >  <r*  3 


4 


PREFACE. 


always  follow  the  language  of  the  father  rather  than  that 
of  the  mother),  the  teachers  in  the  village  schools,  after 
Christianity  was  introduced,  necessarily  used  the  Sa‘a 
books  and,  when  translations  were  eventually  made  into 
Lau,  words  and  phrases  of  Sa‘a  crept  in.  So  far  as  lay  in 
the  power  of  the  present  author,  he  has  endeavored  to 
eliminate  these  Sa‘a  elements  from  the  present  work. 

In  the  translations  made  into  Lau,  some  use  has  been 
made  of  the  gerundive,  following  the  use  in  Sa‘a;  but  until 
we  have  further  evidence  of  the  validity  of  this  usage  it 
must  be  regarded  as  not  belonging  to  the  genius  of  the  Lau 
language,  and  it  is  therefore  omitted  here. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Lau  is  a  typical  Melanesian  language 
and  has  few  marked  peculiarities.  In  Sa‘a  there  is  a  dis¬ 
tinctive  use  of  the  shortened  forms  of  the  pronouns  of  the 
first  and  second  persons,  au  and  ’ o ,  suffixed  to  verbs  and 
prepositions  as  object;  in  Lau  the  same  shortening  is  not 
effected  and  the  longer  forms  nau ,  oe,  are  used. 

It  has  not  been  thought  proper  to  represent  any  break  in 
pronunciation  such  as  occurs  in  Sa‘a  in  such  words,  e.  g., 
as  ia  fish,  Sa‘a  i‘e.  Lau  shows  generally  the  dropping  of 
such  consonants  as  are  dropped  in  Sa‘a,  but  it  is  doubtful 
if  the  same  break  occurs  in  pronunciation. 

The  books  already  printed  in  Lau  are: 

1.  A  translation  of  the  English  Prayer  Book  comprising  matins 

and  evensong,  litany,  baptism  of  adults,  certain 
psalms  and  hymns,  catechism,  Holy  Communion  with 
Sunday  collects. 

2.  The  four  Gospels. 

The  grammar  here  given  is  an  alteration  of  the  grammar 
prepared  by  the  present  writer,  and  printed  at  Norfolk 
Island  by  the  Mission  Press  in  1914. 

W.  G.  Ivens. 

St.  Paul’s  Vicarage, 

Malvern ,  Victoria,  1920. 


TABLE  OF  ABBREVIATIONS. 


adj.,  adjective. 
adv.,  adverb. 
art.,  article. 
def.,  definite, 
demons.,  demonstrative. 
excl.,  exclusive  (of  personal  pro¬ 
nouns,  excluding  the  person 
addressed). 
exclam.,  exclamation. 
genit.,  genitive. 

(i gu ),  marks  a  noun  as  taking  the 
suffixed  pronouns  gu,  mu,  na. 
ind.,  inclusive  (of  personal  pro¬ 
nouns,  including  the  person 
addressed). 
interj.,  interjection. 
interr.,  interrogative. 
metath.,  metathesis. 
n.,  noun. 

(no),  marks  a  noun  as  taking  the 
suffixed  pronoun  in  the  third 
singular  only. 
neg.,  negative. 
neut.,  neuter. 
obj.,  object. 
part.,  particle. 
partic.,  participle. 


per s.,  person,  personal. 
pi.,  plural. 
poss.,  possessive. 
pr.,  pronoun. 
pref.,  prefix. 
prep.,  preposition. 

S,  Sa‘a  language.  See  Sa‘a  and 
Ulawa  dictionary. 
sing.,  singular. 
subj.,  subject. 
suff.,  suffix,  suffixed. 
term.,  termination. 
tr.,  transitive. 

U,  Ulawa  language.  See  Sa‘a  and 
Ulawa  dictionary. 
v.,  verb. 

v.  i.,  verb  intransitive,  i.  e.,  a  verb 
which  can  not  take  the  pro¬ 
noun  suffixed. 
v.  p.,  verbal  particle. 
v.  tr.,  verb  transitive,  i.  e.,  a  verb 
which  can  take  the  pronoun 
suffixed. 
voc.,  vocative. 

M.  L.,  Codrington’s  Melanesian 
Languages . 


5 


PLATE  2 


Ferasubua,  the  Women’s  Quarters. 


. 


<$r 


. 


. 

. 


. 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 

THE  ALPHABET. 

The  vowels  are  a,  e ,  i,  o,  u,  with  the  Italian  sounds.  All 
of  these  vowels  may  be  long  or  short,  the  long  sound  being 
represented  by  a  doubling  of  the  vowel.  Closed  syllables 
do  not  occur,  and  every  word  ends  with  a  vowel.  The 
vowel  o  in  Lau  frequently  represents  a  in  Sa‘a:  fou  rock, 
Sa‘a  hau;finau  hook,  Sa‘a  hinou;  loulou  quick,  Sa‘a  lauleu. 
Where  in  Sa‘a  a  changes  to  e  in  certain  words  after  a  pre¬ 
ceding  i  or  u,  no  such  change  is  made  in  Lau  in  the  same 
words:  ia  fish,  Sa‘a  i’e;  ua  still,  Sa‘a  ue;  i  asi  at  sea,  Sa‘a 
i  ‘esi. 

The  diphthongs  are  ae,  ai,  ao ,  au,  ei,  ou,  as  in  sae ,  mai , 
rao,  dau,  mei ,  fou,  pronounced,  respectively,  as  in  the 
English  words  eye,  iron,  hour,  how,  hey,  oh. 

The  consonants  are  /,  k,  g;  d,  t;  b;  q,  gw;  l,  r;  s;  m,  mw; 
n,  ng. 

The/ replaces  an  h  in  Sa‘a:  fera  village,  Sa‘a  hera  court¬ 
yard;  full  fera  village,  Sa‘a  huli  bed,  huli  nume  site  of 
house.  The  sound  represented  by  /  often  approximates 
to  v. 

Both  k  and  g  are  hard.  The  Melanesian  g  is  not  heard; 
as  in  Sa'a,  it  has  been  dropped  in  certain  words,  ia  fish,  but 
there  is  no  noticeable  break  in  the  pronunciation.  In  cer¬ 
tain  other  words  this  g  is  replaced  by  k:  take,  to  stand. 
Mota  sage,  Sa‘a  ta’e.  The  g  in  Lau  may  replace  a  k  in  Sa‘a : 
igera  they,  Sa‘a  ikire.  A  g  also  appears  in  personal  pro¬ 
noun  plural  1,  excl.,  where  Sa'a  has  a  break:  igami  we, 
Sa‘a  i(emi.  A  g  may  also  replace  an  h  in  Sa'a:  luga  to 
loose,  Sa‘a  luhe. 

There  is  no  preface  of  n  in  the  sound  of  d. 

In  many  words  a  t  has  been  dropped:  angi  to  cry, 
Oceanic  tangi;  asi  sea,  Oceanic  tasi;  ola  canoe,  Florida 
tiola,  Sa‘a  f iola . 

There  is  no  w  in  Lau.  Where  it  occurs  in  Sa‘a  its  place 
is  supplied  in  Lau  by  q,  the  sound  of  which  is  kw  or  ku: 
qalu  eight,  Sa‘a  walu.  In  Lau  the  island  Ulawa  is  known 

as  Ulaqa.  A  q  in  Lau  may  represent  an  h  in  Sa‘a:  qai,  the 

7 


8 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


reciprocal  prefix,  is  in  Sa‘a  hai.  The  letter  gw  may  repre¬ 
sent  a  q  (pw)  in  Sa‘a:  gwou  head,  Sa‘a  qau;  gwini  wet,  Sa‘a 
qini;  gwou  deserted,  Mot  a  won.  The  sound  of  d  is  not  fol¬ 
lowed  by  r,  as  is  the  case  in  Sa‘a,  nor  is  d  before  i  sounded 
any  way  differently,  as  is  the  case  in  Sa‘a.  Nasal  m ,  i.  e., 
mw,  is  not  so  common  a  sound  as  it  is  in  Sa‘a,  but  it  is 
heard  in  mwane  male,  mwela  child. 

There  is  an  interchange  between  n  and  l :  nima  or  lima 
five;  daluma  middle,  Sa‘a  danume;  inala  to  discern,  Sa‘a 
ilala.  Both  l  and  r  are  used  and  the  sounds  are  distinct; 
both  sounds  are  trilled. 


ARTICLES. 


(a)  Demonstrative: 

Singular,  na,  si;  ta,  te,  he;  maae;fe. 

Plural,  gi;  mwai ,  ote. 

(b)  Personal:  o,  ni. 

Na  denotes  a,  any,  the,  and  is  put  to  more  general  use 
than  the  corresponding  nga  in  Sa‘a;  na  is  used  with  both 
singular  and  plural:  na  noni  the  body;  na  sasigamu  your 
brethren .  The  conjunction  ma  ( =  and)  coalesces  with  na; 
mana  Mwela  and  the  Son.  Na  is  used  with  the  interroga¬ 
tive  taa  what. 

2.  Si  is  more  definite  and  particular  in  meaning  than 
na  and  denotes  a  part,  a  piece,  any;  it  is  more  or  less  equiv¬ 
alent  to  me’i  in  Sa‘a:  si  doo  ne  the  thing;  gamelu  ha  ania  si 
taa  what  are  we  to  eat?  si  ere  a  firestick;  si  doo  gu  saea  na 
that  which  I  said;  na  may  be  prefixed:  na  si  baea  taa  ne 
what  words?  si  can  not  be  used  of  the  plural. 

3.  Ta  means  a  certain  one,  every,  at  all,  just,  only,  and 
is  the  same  as  the  numeral  ta  one:  ta  may  precede  the 
article  fe;  ta  fe  uo  every  hill,  ni  may  follow  ta:  tani  aiai 
some,  other,  ta  may  mean  only:  ta  ro  ai  only  two  people; 
ta  may  be  used  with  the  numerals,  ta  ro  mwane  two  men; 
ta  ro  tang  ale  penny  200  pence. 

Te  has  practically  the  same  meanings  as  ta:  te  geni  sarii 
a  maiden;  te  taifilia  he  alone;  te  aiaifalaete  one  person  only. 
Te  is  used  of  units  (as  ata  in  Sa‘a),  tefiufe  doo  only  seven 
things;  te  ai  ma  te  ai  one  by  one;  too  te  ai  singly.  Si  may 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


9 


follow  both  ta  and  te:  ta  si  fou  a  certain  rock,  te  si  na  doo 
everything;  te  may  be  used  as  equivalent  to  the  conjunc¬ 
tion  and :  te  na  Mwela  and  the  Son. 

Ke  is  used  as  te:  ke  si  gula  iidimani  a  small  piece;  ro  kesi 
kurui  bata  two  small  pieces  of  money.  Ke  and  si  may  be 
combined  and  used  with  te:  e  langi  asia  na  teke  si  doo  there 
is  nothing  at  all. 

4.  Maae  is  compounded  of  maa  eye,  one,  and  e  the  con¬ 
struct  form,  and  means  one,  a;  maae  is  used  with  fera  coun¬ 
try,  dangi  day,  rodo  night,  oru  wind;  maae  fera  a  village, 
maaedangi  a  day,  maaerodo  darkness. 

5.  Qe  is  used  with  certain  nouns:  qe  afe  a  widow,  qe  ia  a 
fish,  qe  oru  a  widow;  na  may  be  prefixed:  na  qe  ia  gi  the 
fishes. 

6.  Fe  is  used  of  things  spherical  in  shape  and  denotes  a 
unit:  fe  bread  a  loaf,  fe  bubulu  a  star;  also  fe  gale  bola  a 
young  pigeon,  fe  rade  a  reed;  fe  is  used  of  one  of  a  series: 
fe  rodo  a  night,  fe  asua  a  day;  fe  is  also  used  as  a  multipli¬ 
cative  ifefiu  ade  doo  taala  seven  cases  of  wrong-doing;  na 
or  ta  or  te  may  precede. 

7.  Gi  denotes  plurality  and  follows  the  noun :  na  mwane 
gi  the  males.  It  may  be  separated  from  the  noun :  na  doo 
nia  gi  his  things;  gi  is  used  with  the  forms  of  the  personal 
pronoun  plural  except  those  ending  in  lu. 

8.  Mwai  is  used  with  nouns  of  relationship  only:  mwai 
asi  nia  his  brethren,  ro  mwai  sasina  brethren. 

9.  In  Port  Adam  ote  seems  to  be  employed  as  a  regular 
plural  article :  ote  mwane  gi  you  men.  But  it  is  a  question 
whether  ote  is  not  properly  employed  of  females  only:  ote 
aia  nia  his  female  relations,  ote  sasina  his  sisters,  ote  ai  you 
women,  ote  ai  gi  you  women. 

10.  A  is  used  as  a  personal  article  with  the  names  of 
males,  both  native  and  foreign :  a  Leo,  a  Joe.  It  is  used  also 
with  doo  thing:  a  doo  so  and  so,  a  doo  na  the  person. 

Ni  is  used  as  a  personal  article  with  the  names  of  females, 
both  native  and  foreign:  ni  Alida,  ni  Mary.  It  is  used 
also  with  certain  nouns  which  denote  women,  where  in 
Sa‘a  nga  or  the  personal  article  a  is  used:  ni  te  nau  my 
mother,  ni  mwaemwane  a  man's  sister,  a  woman's  brother, 


10 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


ni  aia  female  relations,  ni  doo  the  woman,  ni  mwela  ne  that 
woman.  Ni  is  not  used  with  afe  wife,  nor  with  geni  female ; 
it  is  not  used  with  the  plural. 

NOUNS. 

1.  Nouns  to  which  possessive  suffixes  may  be  added: 
Certain  nouns  take  the  suffixed  pronoun  denoting  the  pos¬ 
sessor.  These  are  nouns  denoting: 

a.  Parts  of  the  body:  lima  hand,  limagu  my  hand,  aba 
arm,  abamu  thy  arm,  maa  eye,  maamu  thy  eye. 

b.  Position,  end,  middle,  top:  buri  behind,  burigu  be¬ 
hind  me,  i  dalumana  in  the  midst,  isingana  its  end,  i  kamena 
lobo  beside  the  lake,  i  fafona  on  top  of  it. 

c.  Certain  states  or  doings  of  men:  life,  death,  speech, 
custom,  goings:  mae  to  die,  maela  death,  maelana  his  death, 
baela  speech,  baelagu  my  word. 

d.  The  word  sasi  brother,  sasigu  my  brother,  my  sister. 
The  other  words  denoting  relationship  employ  the  per¬ 
sonal  pronoun  to  denote  possession. 

2.  Formation  of  nouns:  Nouns  which  have  a  special 
termination  showing  them  to  be  nouns  substantive  are 
(a)  verbal  nouns  and  ( b )  independent  nouns. 

a.  Verbal  nouns  are  formed  from  verbs  by  the  termina¬ 
tions  a,  fa,  la,  ta:  mae  to  die,  maea  death  or  sickness,  maela 
death,  bae  to  speak,  baea  word,  baela  speech,  fanga  to  eat, 
fangaa  feast,  food,  fangala  food,  mae  to  die,  maemaefa 
sickness,  nao  to  lead,  naofa  first,  naofe  mwela  eldest  child, 
also  with  suffixed  pronoun  naofana  mwela;  ta  is  seen  in  the 
root  afuta  all,  which  is  used  only  with  the  suffixed  pronoun, 
afutagera  all  of  them,  afutana  na  ai  gi  all  the  people.  The 
termination  la  has  a  more  or  less  gerundival  force. 

Compound  nouns  may  be  formed,  girigiri  lifoa  gnashing 
of  teeth,  saitama  dooa  wisdom. 

Where  in  the  vocabulary  fa  and  ta  have  a  hyphen  at¬ 
tached,  it  is  intended  to  show  that  they  are  used  only  with 
the  suffixed  pronoun  attached. 

There  are  certain  adjectives  to  which  the  termination 
la  is  attached,  diena  good,  dienala  goodness,  baita  big, 
baitala  bigness,  and  tasa  in  excess,  tasala  excess.  It  is 
probable,  however,  that  these  words  are  really  verbs. 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


11 


b.  Independent  nouns:  The  only  termination  is  na,  and 
this  is  added  (1)  to  certain  nouns  which  express  relation¬ 
ship  or  kindred;  (2)  to  cardinal  numerals  to  form  ordinals. 

1.  Nouns  so  formed  are  always  preceded  by  a  prefix 
which  marks  reciprocity  of  relationship  or  kindred,  mwai , 
and  by  the  numeral  ro  two;  sasi  brother,  ro  mwai  sasina 
the  two  brothers,  te  mother,  ro  mwai  telana  wife  and  child. 

2.  Numerals:  olu  three,  oluna  third. 

3.  Construct  form:  To  make  a  construct  form  the  letter 
e  is  added  to  the  first  of  two  nouns,  toloe  fera  hill,  fuli  abae 
ai  men’s  handiwork.  When  the  first  member  ends  in  a 
the  ae  sometimes  contracts  to  e,  fufue  ai  seed,  aqale  mwai 
ten  baskets,  but  maae  rodo,  a  night;  also  when  the  first 
noun  ends  in  o  the  oe  is  contracted  to  e:  abole  ai  a  log, 
abolo  a  piece.  This  e  may  be  added  to  words  which  have 
not  a  distinct  noun  termination:  naoe  gula  the  chief  place. 

4.  Genitive  relation:  The  genitive  relation  of  nouns  one 
to  another  is  effected  by  the  use  of  the  propositions  ni  and 
i:  ni  is  used  mainly  in  construction:  baea  ni  sugela 
deceitful  words,  gwai  ni  gwaila  anointing  oil;  ni  expresses 
purpose :  si  gula  ni  lea  inia  a  place  for  him  to  go  to,  rosuli 
ni  manatai  garni  hear  us  in  mercy.  In  certain  words  li 
replaces  ni:  maalimaea  enemy,  maalitafa  a  channel  in  a 
reef ;  i  is  used  also  to  denote  purpose :  lea  i  fasifa  came  to 
sell  it.  Location,  which  also  denotes  place  whence,  is 
shown  by  i ,  geni  i  Saa,  a  Sa‘a  woman.  Si  is  used  in  certain 
phrases:  ofu  si  doo  bundles,  ro  tooni  si  doo  two  thousand. 

The  genitive  is  frequently  omitted  olu  teu  flour ,  three 
measures  of  flour,  mumudi  f angala  crumbs  of  food,  mwane 
Saa,  a  Sa‘a  man,  falisi  vine  a  vineyard. 

The  possessive  ana  may  be  used  to  denote  the  genitive : 
luma  ana  foaa  house  of  prayer,  tala  ana  fanualama  way  of 
peace.  A  genitive  relation  is  also  shown  by  the  use  of  the 
suffixed  pronoun  of  the  third  person  singular  or  plural  in 
agreement  with  the  idea  expressed  in  the  second  noun  of 
the  pair:  i  tolonafera  on  the  tops  of  the  hills,  gwouda  na  ai 
gi  men’s  heads. 

The  ordinary  personal  pronouns  are  used  as  possessive 
in  cases  where  the  pronoun  can  not  be  suffixed:  afe  nau 
my  wife,  arai  nia  her  husband. 


12 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


The  instrumental  prefix  i  occurs:  kamu  to  eat  areca 
nut,  ikamu  a  line  spatula. 

5.  Plural:  To  show  plurality  gi  is  used,  following  the 
noun  na  mwane  gi  the  men.  The  word  oro,  many,  may  be 
attached:  na  mwane  oro  gi  many  men,  tani  ai  oro  many 
people. 

The  personal  pronoun  plural  third  gera  is  used  to  mark 
plurality:  gera  fiolo  the  hungry,  gera  priest  da  adea  urina 
the  priests  acted  thus. 

Totally  and  completion  are  shown  by  sui  finished  or 
sui  na:  afutada  sui  they  all,  gera  lea  sui  na  they  have  gone 
already.  To  express  totality  the  suffixed  pronoun  sin¬ 
gular  third  and  all  persons  plural  are  added  to  a  root  afuta , 
formed  from  afu  to  complete,  with  ta  noun  termination: 
afutanafera  all  the  land,  afutana  nonigu  all  my  whole  body. 

It  is  a  question  whether  the  numeral  qalu  eight  is  used 
like  walu  in  Sa‘a  of  an  indefinite  number,  e .  g .,  qalu  fera 
all  lands;  but  te  si  na  fera  seems  to  be  the  proper  usage. 

6.  Gender:  There  is  no  grammatical  gender.  The  words 
mwane  male,  geni  female,  are  added  when  the  noun  does 
not  carry  a  sex  distinction. 

7.  Nouns  of  relationship:  With  the  exception  of  sasi 
brother,  sister,  nouns  of  relationship  are  never  used  with 
a  suffixed  pronoun:  maa  nau  my  father.  The  prefix 
mwai,  denoting  reciprocity  of  relationship,  may  precede: 
mwai  asi  nau  brethren.  In  speaking  of  pairs  of  people 
ro  is  used:  ro  mwai  sasina  two  brothers.  The  na  of 
sasina,  telana ,  etc.,  is  a  noun  termination  and  is  not  the 
suffixed  pronoun. 

The  articles  ni  for  the  singular  and  ote  for  the  plural 
are  used  of  women:  ni  aia  a  female  relation,  ote  geni 
women. 

The  word  for  father  is  maa;  the  article  na  may  be  pre¬ 
fixed:  na  maa  nau  my  father.  The  Rev.  A.  I.  Hopkins 
says  that  maaka  nau  is  also  commonly  used  as  meaning 
my  father.  The  word  for  child  is  mwela ,  mwela  na  ai  So- 
and-So’s  son,  mwela  nia  his  child;  aia  is  used  for  female 
relations  with  ni  as  singular  article  and  ote  as  plural: 
mwaemwane  sister,  ni  mwaemwane  a  man’s  sister. 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


13 


The  adjective  gale  little,  is  used  preceding  the  noun  to 
describe  something  young:  ro  fe  gale  bola  two  young 
pigeons.  The  article  used  with  te,  mother,  is  ni:  ni  te  nau 
my  mother;  ta  ro  mwai  telana  nau  my  wife  and  child,  ta 
ro  mwai  fungona  two  relations-at-law;  ai  person,  man,  is 
used  as  a  vocative :  mwela  ai  hey,  you  there!  na  ai  oe  your 
people,  ai  ni  raoa  a  servant,  ai  tou  the  little  one,  the 
lesser. 

PRONOUNS. 

The  pronouns  may  be  classified  as  (a)  those  used  as  the 
subject  of  a  verb;  (b)  those  suffixed  to  a  verb  or  a  prep¬ 
osition  as  object;  (c)  those  suffixed  to  nouns  substantive 
and  denoting  possession. 

A.  Pronouns  Used  as  the  Subject  of  a  Verb. 

Singular: 

(1)  inau,nau,gu. 

(2)  ioe ,  oe,  o. 

(3)  inia,  nia,  ni,  e. 

Plural: 

Inclusive:  (1)  igia,  gia;  igolu,  golu. 

Exclusive:  (1)  igami,  garni,  mi;  igamelu,  gamelu. 

(2)  igamu,  gamu;  igamolu,  gamolu. 

(3)  igera,  gera,  da;  idalu ,  dalu . 

Dual: 

Inclusive:  (1)  igoro,  goro. 

Exclusive:  (1)  igamere,  gamer e. 

(2)  igamoro,  gamoro. 

(3)  idaro,  daro. 

1.  The  longer  forms,  those  with  i,  are  used  as  possessive 
pronouns  when  the  suffixed  pronoun  can  not  be  added: 
geni  inau  my  wife. 

The  forms  with  i  are  never  used  by  themselves  as  the 
subject,  but  are  accompanied  by  one  of  the  shorter  forms : 
igera  da  ada  ma  da  si  ada  na  they  see  but  do  not  see.  The 
three  longer  forms  in  the  singular  are  of  more  or  less 
infrequent  use.  The  initial  i  is  run  on  to  the  preceding 
vowel  in  pronunciation. 

2.  All  the  forms  without  i  are  used  alone  as  the  subject 
of  the  verb.  Where  there  are  three  forms  the  second  and 
third  are  generally  used  together  as  subjects:  garni  mi 


14 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


langi  si  saetamana  we  do  not  know;  but  the  short  forms 
gu,  o,  mi,  mu,  da,  may  be  used  alone  as  subjects:  gu  si 
saea  I  do  not  know.  The  forms  in  lu  are  not  used  as  a 
trial  number,  but  denote  a  more  restricted  number  of 
persons. 

3.  Nia  is  used  as  meaning,  there  is,  it  is:  efita  fe 
bread  nia  agamolu,  how  many  loaves  have  you?  It  may 
be  used  before  a  proper  name  as  the  equivalent  to  a 
genitive:  ana  maaedangi  nia  Abiathar  in  the  days  of 
Abiathar.  1  When  the  meaning  is,  there  is,  it  is,  nia 
is  preceded  by  e:  na  liqa  gera  enia  ada  they  have  their 
holes;  ma  te  ai  enia  i  luma  there  is  only  one  person  in  the 
house;  with  na  demonstrative  added:  nia  na  that  is  it, 
that  is  so. 

4.  The  form  ni  is  seen  in  nifai  what?  where?  It  occurs 
in  certain  phrases  as  meaning,  it  is,  there  is:  e  uta 
ro  si  lio  ni  agamu  how  is  it  ye  are  of  two  minds?  na  light 
fuana  noni  ni  maa  the  light  of  the  body  it  is  the  eye. 

5.  The  plural  sign  gi  is  used  with  the  forms  in  the  plural 
but  not  with  those  ending  in  lu:  gia  gi  fi  dao  na  we  have 
just  come. 

6.  The  forms  in  the  plural  third  igera  and  gera  are  used 
as  equivalent  to  a  plural  article :  igera  na  judea  the  Jews. 

7.  The  pronouns  of  the  third  person  singular  and 
plural  may  be  used  of  impersonal  or  inanimate  things. 

B.  Pronouns  Suffixed  to  Verbs  or  to  Prepositions  as  Object. 

Singular:  (1)  nau.  (2)  oe.  (3)  a. 

Plural : 

Inclusive:  (1)  gia,  golu. 

Exclusive:  (1)  garni ,  gamelu.  (2)  gamu,  gamolu.  (3)  gera ,  da, 
dalu. 

Dual: 

Inclusive:  (1)  goro. 

Exclusive:  (1)  gamere.  (2)  gamoro.  (3)  daro. 

1.  Examples  of  usage  are,  gera  saegera  sui  they  were  all 
summoned,  nia  lea  fonosia  he  went  to  get  it.  A  second 
object  of  the  verb  always  appears  in  the  suffixed  pronoun 
singular  and  plural  third:  gu  langi  si  adasia  na  ola  I  did 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


15 


not  see  a  canoe,  gera  gutafigera  na  mwane  gi  they  persecuted 
the  men.  All  prepositions  governing  nouns  have  the 
pronoun  suffixed  as  an  anticipatory  object  in  agreement 
with  the  noun :  gera  lea  fonosia  fera  they  went  to  harm  the 
land,  fafia  si  doo  concerning  the  matter. 

2.  The  verb  don  (to  wish)  has  the  pronoun  suffixed 
where  in  Sa‘a  none  would  be  used:  nia  langi  si  doria 
gwou  ana  he  would  not  drink  (it)  of  it. 

3.  To  taifili  (alone)  the  pronouns  are  suffixed:  te 
taifilia  he  alone,  taifiligera  they  alone. 

C.  Pronouns  Suffixed  to  Nouns  or  to  Verbal  Nouns  used  as 

Prepositions. 

Singular:  (1)  gu.  (2)  mu.  (3)  na. 

Plural: 

Inclusive:  (1)  gia,  golu. 

Exclusive:  (1)  garni,  gamelu.  (2)  gamu,  gamolu.  (3)  gera,  da, 
dalu. 

Dual: 

Inclusive:  (1)  goro. 

Exclusive:  (1)  gamere.  (2)  gamoro.  (3)  daro. 

1.  These  are  the  pronouns  denoting  possession  and  they 
are  suffixed  to  a  certain  class  of  nouns  only,  those  which 
denote  names  of  parts  of  the  body,  or  of  family  rela¬ 
tionship,  or  of  things  in  close  relationship  to  the  possessor. 
In  all  other  cases  possession  is  denoted  by  the  use  of  the 
ordinary  personal  pronouns. 

2.  When  things  and  not  persons  are  in  question  ni  is 
used  in  place  of  da  in  plural  third :  lea  alua  i  fulini  go  and 
put  them  in  their  places. 

3.  Of  the  plural  forms  those  ending  in  lu  denote  a 
restriction  in  the  number  of  the  persons  concerned. 

4.  These  pronouns  are  also  suffixed  to  the  preposition 
fua  to,  used  as  a  dative,  to  afuta  all,  and  to  certain  other 
words  which  show  a  noun  termination  but  which  have  no 
independent  existence  as  nouns:  otofa  concerning,  oof  a 
approaching  to,  enceinte,  sie,  at  the  house  of  (in  the  vo¬ 
cabulary  all  such  words  are  followed  by  a  hyphen);  also 
to  mar  a  of  one’s  own  accord,  alone,  te  taifilia  mar  ana  he 
alone;  also  to  the  verb  too  to  hit,  toogu,  toona,  hit  me,  etc. 


16 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


Demonstrative  Pronouns. 

These  are  na,  ne,  this;  nena,  nana ,  nane,  that. 

1.  These  all  follow  a  noun  or  a  pronoun:  a  mwela  ne 
this  person,  nia  nana  that  is  it. 

2.  Na  is  added  after  the  negative  langi:  langi  na  no, 
not  that;  and  after  sui  finished:  sui  na  that  is  finished. 

3.  Go  an  adverb,  there,  is  used  as  a  demonstrative: 
tefe  doo  go  ana  only  one  thing,  inau  go  agu  I  for  my  part; 
ne  may  be  added,  gone  that,  inia  gone  that  is  so.  Ba  means 
that,  there:  diena  ba  good!  bago  is  used  following  a  noun 
or  a  pronoun:  a  doo  bago  that  person  there. 

Interrogative  Pronouns. 

1.  The  words  used  are  ati ,  who;  taa,  tafa,  what.  The 
personal  article  a  makes  ati  who,  singular,  gerati  plural. 
Both  ti  and  taa  are  nouns.  The  adverb  ba  may  be  added  to 
ati  for  the  purpose  of  emphasis:  ati  ba  who?  Ti  stands 
for  the  name  of  the  person  and  ati  means,  what  is  the 
name?  ati  mwane  what  man?  The  demonstrative  ne 
may  be  added  for  emphasis:  ati  ne  who  is  it  then?  Ati 
has  also  an  indefinite  use :  ati  susulia  who  knows? 

2.  With  taa,  tafa,  the  definite  article  si  may  be  used: 
si  taa  what,  that  which,  taa  may  follow  the  noun,  ta  si 
doo  taa  what  sort  of  thing?  si  doo  taa  ne  what?  The 
adverb  fai  (where)  may  be  used  as  an  interrogative  pro¬ 
noun  :  ni  fai  which,  what? 

Indefinite  Pronouns. 

The  uses  of  ta,  te,  have  been  dealt  with  under  “articles.” 
These  two  words  are  used  as  signifying,  any,  some,  other. 

The  noun  sai  place,  thing,  has  an  indefinite  use:  sai  ai 
that  which,  what,  sai  na  that  which,  ta  sai  ai,  one,  another 
(of  things),  sai  oe  your  place,  your  duty,  tani  oto  ni  sai  ai 
some  people.  (The  Rev.  A.  I.  Hopkins  states  in  a  note 
that  sai  in  Lau  is  used  of  food  only). 

Relative  Pronouns. 

There  are  no  relative  pronouns.  Their  place  is  supplied 
by  various  locutions. 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


17 


1.  By  the  suffixed  pronoun:  inia  nane  gu  bae  kekerofana 
fasi  uri  this  is  he  of  whom  I  spoke.  The  addition  of  the 
demonstrative  ne,  nena,  serves  to  make  the  meaning 
clearer :  inia  nena  ai  garni  mi  maasia  he  is  the  person  for 
whom  we  are  waiting. 

2.  By  making  use  of  a  coordinate  clause :  igami  ne  too 
gera  ada  fuada  na  we  are  the  people  whom  they  have 
chosen. 


Possessive  s. 

Singular:  (1)  agu.  (2)  amu.  (3)  ana. 

Plural: 

Inclusive:  (1)  aga,  agolu. 

Exclusive:  (1)  agami,  agamelu.  (2)  agamu,  agamolu.  (3)  agera, 
ada ,  adalu. 

Dual: 

Inclusive:  (1)  agoro. 

Exclusive:  (1)  agamere.  (2)  agamoro.  (3)  adaro. 

The  possessive  is  used: 

1.  Of  things  to  eat  and  drink:  si  fangala  agu  something 
for  me  to  eat,  o  ngalia  amu  take  it  for  your  eating,  si  doo 
ana  gera  priest  tafiligera  food  for  the  priests  only. 

When  the  sense  relates  to  food  in  general  and  not  to 
a  particular  meal  the  ordinary  personal  pronouns  are 
employed  as  possessives:  si  doo  ni  gwou  inau  a  drink  for 
me. 

2.  As  meaning,  for  me,  for  my  part,  etc.,  belonging 
to,  at,  with:  geni  agu  a  wife  for  me,  nia  lea  ana  he 
went  his  way,  gu  ka  gele  dau  go  agu  if  I  but  touch,  Juana 
ngalia  fera  nia  agolu  to  get  his  land  for  ourselves,  si 
mamana  nia  ana  power  in  himself,  his  power,  si  doo  oro 
agu  I  have  many  things,  e  langi  ana  not  in  it,  lost,  nia 
soe  agera  he  questioned  them,  soea  satana  ana  a  doo  bago 
ask  so-and-so  his  name,  nia  ledia  tasi  doo  agu  he  asked  me 
about  something,  ooganga  agera  their  debt. 

3.  As  the  object  of  a  neuter  verb  ( i .  e.,  a  verb  which 
does  not  take  a  transitive  suffix) :  gera  da  qele  ana  they 
marvelled  at  him,  gu  ingo  amu  I  beseech  thee,  dau  agu 
touch  me,  bota  ana  blessed  is  he. 


18 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


4.  With  verbs  when  the  object  is  separated  from  the 
verb:  nia  bubu  tete  adalu  he  regarded  them  fixedly,  ka 
lugatai  saufini  ana  let  him  go  secretly,  da  bae  aisile  ana 
they  spoke  scornfully  of  him:  ala  meme  gamu  to  bite  and 
rend  you,  is  a  variant. 

5.  To  express,  of,  from,  among:  ati  mwane  agamu  what 
man  of  you? 

6.  The  forms  ending  in  lu  denote  a  restriction  in  the 
number  of  the  people  concerned. 

7.  The  adverb  afoa  apart  is  also  followed  by  the  pos¬ 
sessive:  afoa  ana  apart  from  him. 

8.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  one  possessive  in  Lau  does  the 
work  of  the  three  that  are  used  in  Sa‘a.  A  Port  Adam 
man  asking  for  a  wife  at  Sa‘a  and  saying  geni  ana  (as  has 
happened  at  times)  would  be  asked  whether  he  wanted  to 
eat  her — the  Sa‘a  use  being  keni  nana,  ’ana  being  reserved 
of  things  to  eat. 


ADJECTIVES. 

1.  Words  which  are  qualifying  terms  may  also  be  used 
in  the  form  of  verbs,  but  some  may  be  used  without 
verbal  particles  and  follow  the  qualified  word.  Mwane 
baita  a  big  man,  mwela  tou  a  little  child. 

2.  Some  words  have  a  form  which  is  used  only  of  adjec¬ 
tives,  either  of  termination  or  of  prefix. 

a.  Adjectival  terminations  are:  a ,  la. 

The  termination  a  is  suffixed  to  substantives  and  verbs: 
rodo  night,  rorodoa  dark,  darkness,  cloud;  bulu  to  be  black, 
bubulua  black. 

La  is  suffixed  to  substantives  and  verbs:  mwai  a  bag, 
mwaila  rich,  kobu  to  be  fat,  kobukobula  fat,  whole,  big; 
tagalo  to  be  wandering,  tagalola  matted,  thick,  of  forest. 

b.  Adjectival  prefixes  are  a,  ma,  tata,  m.  These  are  all 
prefixed  to  verbs. 

The  a  is  prefixed  to  verbs  to  form  participles:  luga  to 
loose,  aluga  loose;  la  to  lift  up,  alaa  upwards,  up. 

Ma  denotes  condition:  lingi  to  pour,  malingi  spilled, 
ngi  to  divide,  mangisingisi  broken,  divided,  matala  only, 
merely;  tefe  mwela  matala  an  only  child. 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


19 


Tata  denotes  spontaneity:  tatagwelu  headlong. 

M  as  a  prefix  appears  to  be  used  in  the  word  moi  broken, 
(Sa‘a  ’o’i  to  break,  ma’o’i  broken). 

3.  Comparison :  Degrees  of  comparison  are  shown  by 
the  use  of  prepositions  or  adverbs,  or  by  a  simple  positive 
statement.  The  prepositions  used  are  fasi  from,  tasa 
beyond,  in  excess.  The  suffixed  pronoun  is  used  with 
fasi,  but  the  possessive  is  used  with  tasa:  na  boso  nia 
baita  f asia  na  asufe  a  pig  is  larger  than  a  rat;  gera  baita  tasa 
agera  these  are  much  larger  than  those. 

The  adverbs  employed  are  gele  little,  somewhat,  asia 
very,  too  much:  nia  baita  asia  it  is  very  (too)  large. 

A  positive  statement  carries  comparison  by  implication : 
doo  ne  nia  baita  that  is  biggest,  sai  ai  ne  ni  diena,  sai  ai 
nena  ni  taa  na  this  is  good,  that  is  bad;  i.  e.,  this  is  better 
than  that. 

VERBS. 

Almost  any  word  may  be  used  as  a  verb  by  prefixing 
the  verbal  particles,  but  some  words  are  naturally  verbs 
as  being  the  names  of  actions  and  not  of  things.  There 
are  also  verbs  which  have  special  forms  as  such  by  means 
of  a  prefix  or  termination.  Verbal  particles  precede  the 
verb;  they  have  a  temporal  force. 

1.  The  verbal  particles  are  ha,  ho.  The  particles  are 
written  apart  from  the  verb,  but  the  speakers  like  to  join 
them  to  the  governing  pronouns  of  the  first  and  second 
persons  singular,  gu,  o. 

Ka  is  used  both  of  present  and  of  future  time:  nia  ha 
bae  uri  he  speaks  thus,  ka  urina  if  that  be  so,  tasi  doo  taa 
gera  ka  adea  what  will  they  do?  lelea  ka  rodo  go  till  night¬ 
fall;  the  illatives  ft,  fe,  may  be  added. 

Ko  is  used  only  with  the  personal  pronoun,  second 
singular  o,  and  may  express  either  present  or  future  time : 
the  illative  may  be  added. 

The  preposition  fuana  to  him,  to  it,  in  order  that,  is  used 
as  a  subjunctive  or  optative. 

2.  Time  and  Moods:  A  subjunctive  is  formed  by  ana  if, 
when,  followed  by  the  particle  ka,  or  by  the  use  of  saea. 

Conditional  affirmation  is  expressed  by  saumala. 


20 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


The  illatives  are  fi  and  fe,  and  mean,  then,  in  that  case, 
following  upon,  just  now,  for  the  first  time:  ta  ka  fi  uri 
then  said  he,  garni  mifi  saitamana  na  tala  uta  and  how 
shall  we  know  the  way? 

Fe  as  an  illative  denotes,  in  that  case,  following  upon; 
fe  is  also  used  like  hd’i  in  Sa‘a,  to  denote  repetition  or 
continuance  or  restoration:  na  abana  e  fe  boeboela  lau 
his  hand  was  restored  whole  again,  gera  ka  fe  dao  toona 
they  will  certainly  reach  him,  daro  fe  lea  lau  go  they  went 
on  again,  da  tefe  bae  ana  tesi  baela  they  all  cried  out  to¬ 
gether. 

Na  is  used  following  the  verb  to  form  a  preterit:  nia 
mae  na  he  is  dead.  Finality  is  shown  by  the  use  of  sui: 
sui  na  it  is  all  finished,  nia  kafi  dao  sui  na  when  he  shall 
have  arrived,  sui  nana  it  is  finished,  sui  ta  thereupon,  after 
that. 

For  the  imperative  the  simple  verb  is  used:  o  lea  amu 
go  away;  fasi  may  be  added  for  politeness:  lea  fasi  amu 
you  go! 

3.  Negative  Particles:  The  foregoing  particles  are  not 
used  in  negative  sentences.  The  negative  particles  are 
langi ,  e  langi ,  si.  These  may  be  combined:  nia  langi  si 
saea  he  does  not  know  it,  e  langi  mu  si  rongoa  ma  e  langi 
mu  si  saea  you  have  neither  heard  it  nor  seen  it,  e  langi 
nau  gu  si  lea  I  am  not  going,  e  langi  uri  ta  ai  e  adasia  no 
one  has  seen  it,  e  langi  asia  not  at  all.  The  verbal  par¬ 
ticle  ka  may  be  used  in  negative  sentences  with  the 
addition  of  si,  kasi  bobola  it  is  not  fitting.  The  dehorta- 
tive  and  the  negative  imperative  is  fasia:  fasia  oko  lea 
do  not  go  \  fasia  gera  ka  adasia  let  them  not  see  it,  o  fasia 
oko  luia  do  not  forbid  it. 

Genitives:  ni,  i  are  used  to  express  purpose. 

4.  Suffixes  to  verbs:  There  are  certain  terminations 
which,  when  added  to  neuter  verbs  or  to  verbs  active  only 
in  a  general  way,  make  them  definitely  transitive  or  de¬ 
termine  their  action  upon  some  object.  These  are  of  two 
forms: 

a.  A  consonant  with  i:  fi,  li,  mi,  ni,  ngi,  si ,  or  i  by 
itself;  e.  g.,  tau,  taufi;  mae,  maeli:  ano,  anomi;  mou,  mouni; 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


21 


sau,  saungi;  ada,  adasi ;  manata,  manatai ;  to  the  verb 
taa  to  be  bad,  both  si  and  li  are  added  and  the  causative 
fais  prefixed  :fataasi,fataali,  to  make  worse.  Certain  verbs 
which  are  active  in  Lau  are  neuter  in  Sa‘a:  angai  to  lift, 
angaia  lift  it,  Sa‘a  angainia;  faodo  to  straighten,  faodoa 
straighten  it,  Sa‘a  ha’aodohie;  famae  to  kill,  famaea,  Sa‘a 
ha’ amaesie;  famou  to  frighten,  famoua ,  Sa‘a  ha’ ama’usie. 

b.  The  termination  ai  is  suffixed  by  itself  to  nouns  to 
convert  them  into  verbs,  sato,  satoai.  When  this  syllable 
ai  is  suffixed  to  verbs  the  genitive  ni  may  be  added,  and 
to  the  form  aini  the  consonants  /,  m,  ng ,  t,  are  prefixed: 
oli  to  return,  olifaini  to  carry  back,  ala  to  answer,  alamaini 
to  consent,  sau  to  become,  saungaini  to  make,  tagala  lost, 
tagalangaini  to  drive  out,  foaa  to  pray,  foaataini  to  pray 
for.  The  forms  in  ai  are  also  used  intransitively:  tege  to 
fall,  tegelai  lost,  oli  to  turn,  olitai  converted. 

The  genitive  ni  (cf.  M.  L.,  p.  532)  is  often  omitted  and  is 
not  invariably  used  as  it  is  in  Sa‘a,  since  the  form  ai 
without  the  addition  of  ni  is  transitive:  gonitai  to  receive, 
gwoutai  or  gwoutaini  to  be  left  alone,  oalangai  to  apportion, 
fatolamai  to  command. 

Ani  appears  to  be  used  by  itself  as  a  transitive  suffix: 
ui  to  throw,  uiani  to  throw  away,  lag  a  to  drive,  lagaani 
to'drive  away,  taha  to  strike,  tabaani  to  destroy;  ani  is  used 
also  with  too  to  hit,  tooani  to  understand. 

With  either  class  of  suffixes  there  is  no  difference  in 
meaning  between  one  suffix  and  another. 

5.  Prefixes  to  verbs:  These  are  causative  and  reciprocal. 

The  causative  is  fa:  it  may  be  prefixed  to  almost  any 

word,  and  it  may  be  used  with  words  which  have  a  transi¬ 
tive  suffix.  The  use  of  fa  frequently  obviates  the  use  of  a 
transitive  suffix  and  of  itself  makes  verbs  transitive. 

The  reciprocal  is  qai:  generally  when  qai  is  prefixed  to  a 
verb  the  action  of  the  verb  is  enlarged  and  the  subject  is 
included.  The  illative  fe  also  marks  repetition  or  restora¬ 
tion  or  continuance;  it  is  followed  by  the  adverb  lau  again: 
na  abana  efe  boeboela  lau  his  hand  was  restored  whole. 

6.  Passive:  The  passive  is  expressed  by  the  use  of  the 
personal  pronoun  plural  third  gera  or  da,  with  the  verb 


22 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


and  the  adverb  na  already:  gera  taufia  na  it  has  been 
washed;  gera  and  da  are  used  impersonally.  The  word 
saetana  it  is  said,  sae  to  say,  is  used  as  a  passive:  si  doo 
saetana  the  thing  said,  si  baela  ne  saetana  uri  the  word 
which  was  said. 

7.  Auxiliary  verbs:  alu  to  put,  is  used  as  meaning,  to  be, 
to  become;  talae,  v.  tr.  to  begin,  means  also  to  become; 
sau  to  make,  with  the  possessive  ana,  sau  ana  to  be  come. 

8.  Reflexive  verb:  The  word  mara  with  suffixed  pronoun 
is  used  to  denote  reflexive  action:  nia  saungia  marana. 
It  also  carries  the  meaning  self,  of  one’s  own  accord :  i  bo- 
bongi  ka  manata  tetea  ana  marana  the  morrow  can  take 
care  of  itself. 

9.  Reduplication:  Verbs  are  reduplicated  in  two  ways: 
(a)  by  reduplication  of  the  first  syllable:  liu,  liliu ;  bae, 
babae;  (b)  by  repetition  of  the  whole  word:  gwou,  gwou- 
gwou.  There  is  no  difference  between  the  various  forms 
beyond  an  intensification  in  meaning.  In  the  vocabulary 
the  reduplicated  form  is  presented  under  the  entry  of  the 
stem. 

ADVERBS. 

There  are  pure  adverbs  in  Lau,  but  many  words  used  as 
adverbs  are  truly  nouns  and  others  are  verbs;  adjectives 
may  also  occur  in  this  employment. 

1.  Adverbs  of  place:  mai  here,  hither;  go  there,  thither, 
ne  may  be  added,  gone,  also  langi  go,  no.  lo  there,  is 
compounded  with  go  and  gi,  logo  north,  west;  se  here,  a 
noun,  i  se,  isena,  here,  in  this  place,  gula  place,  a  noun: 
si  gula  na  this  place,  here,  gula  i  maa  outside,  bah  side, 
a  noun,  bali  ne  here,  on  this  side;  i  bali  Jordan  i  bali  logo  on 
the  far  side  of  Jordan;  ifai  where,  gamu  mai  ifai  whence 
are  you?  tau,  a  verb,  far  off:  alaa  up,  south,  east, 
ilangi,  ifafo,  up. 

2.  Adverbs  of  time:  kada  na  (ne),  manga  na,  now;  si 
manga,  kademanga,  when,  i  kademanga  na  (ne),  at  the  time 
when;  i  angita,  si  manga  uta,  when?  inao  of  old, in  the  past; 
ua  mai  inao  from  of  old;  isingana  ne  henceforth:  alua 
fasi,  taraina,  presently;  urii  just  now;  lau,  lau  go,  again; 
oli  back;  na,  ua  na,  already:  ua  yet,  still,  still  left;  ua  go 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


23 


i  uarodo  while  still  dark  in  the  early  morning;  ua  mai  ana 
lua  from  the  flood,  toongi  ua  inao  old  clothes,  e  langi  ua 
not  yet,  still  wanting;  firi,  tefou ,  always;  too  ha  tau  forever; 
suli  dangifiri  daily;  taraina  to-day;  i  rogi  yesterday; 
maaedangi  i  fafo  day  before  yesterday;  bobongi  to-morrow; 
taraina  lao  rodo  to-night;  talae  first;  loulou  quick;  aliali 
forthwith;  maasia ,  hade  manga,  while. 

3.  Adverbs  of  manner:  alafana  as,  like,  as  if;  uri,  uria , 
sae,  saea,  that  (of  quotation) ;  uri,  urina,  thus;  e  uta  how? 
gele  somewhat;  asia  completely,  too  much;  saumala 
granted  that;  falaete,  mamaloni,  only;  ooni  merely;  talai 
for  no  reason;  tefou  together;  afui  altogether  (precedes 
verb) ;  boro,  oto,  otomone,  tamone,  bota  ana,  perhaps ;  mone 
gives  life,  ba  gives  force,  to  the  narrative;  ba  also  explains 
and  makes  the  diction  less  abrupt ;  tasa,  tasaana,  too  much ; 
faoroa  often. 

PREPOSITIONS. 

1.  Simple  Prepositions. 

Locative,  i.  Dative,  fua. 

Motion  to,  fua,  isuli,  suli.  Instrumental,  ana,  ani. 

Motion  from,  fasi,  ita.  Relation,  ana,  ani,  fai,  sia,  usi. 

Causation,  fafi.  Genitive,  ni,  i. 

Position,  fonosi. 

The  locative  i  is  seen  in  ifai  where;  it  is  also  largely  used 
with  adverbs  of  place  and  time  and  it  precedes  every 
name  of  place.  With  the  exception  of  the  locative,  the 
instrumental,  the  genitive,  and  also  ana,  ita,  usi,  all  the 
foregoing  prepositions  are  used  with  a  suffixed  pronoun; 
ita  is  used  with  the  possessive. 

Isuli  denotes  motion  after,  motion  over:  sulia  rodo  ma 
na  asua  day  and  night,  manata  suli  to  know. 

Fafi  means,  about,  concerning,  because  of,  around,  on: 
gera  ogu  fafia  they  crowded  round  him,  nia  alua  abana 
fafia  he  laid  his  hand  on  him,  lau  fafi  to  rescue,  fafi  taa 
what  about,  why  ) fuana  in  order  that,  maefuana  to  die  to 
his  disadvantage,  soe  ledia  fuana  question  him  about  it, 
bae  fuana  forbid  him,  fuana  taa  wherefore? 

Of  the  two  instrumental  prepositions  ana  is  the  one  in 
more  general  use,  its  meaning  is  with:  doo  gera  saungia 


24 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


ana  the  thing  they  killed  him  with.  Ana  appears  to  de¬ 
note  the  actual  instrument,  ani  the  method  of  action; 
ani  may  be  translated  withal.  When  the  noun  denoting 
the  instrument  is  not  preceded  by  an  article  or  when  the 
noun  is  used  in  a  general  sense,  ani  is  used  in  the  place  of 
ana:  suu  fafia  ani  taa  to  clothe  himself  with  what?  lea 
ani  ola  to  go  by  canoe. 

The  pronoun  a  may  be  suffixed  to  ani:  tasi  doo  gera 
qaifamanatai  ania  the  thing  they  taught  withal;  ka  modea 
na  toongi  ua  inao  ania  to  mend  the  old  garment  withal. 

Ana  also  denotes  at,  in,  place  where,  among:  luma  ana 
Joaa  ( luma  ni  foaa)  a  house  of  prayer,  kakao  ana  ano  an 
earthen  vessel,  nia  liu  ana  ta  maaedangi  he  went  on  a 
certain  day,  tani  ai  ana  aigi  some  of  the  people,  nia  saea 
ana  satana  he  called  him  by  his  name,  o  ngalia  ana  ati 
from  whom  did  you  get  it?  lea  ana  fera  to  go  into  the 
country,  ani  is  used  as  meaning  in,  e  langi  ani  nau 
there  is  nothing  in  me,  gera  ote  gera  ani  nau  they  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  me. 

Fai  means  with:  faioe  with  thee,  qaimani  fai  to  help, 
oko  qaimani  fainau  you  help  me.  The  genitive  ni  may 
be  added,  lea  fainia  go  with  him;  fainia  moreover,  and. 

Sia  means  at,  at  home,  and  always  has  the  suffixed 
pronoun.  By  the  ordinary  Melanesian  idiom  place  at 
comes  to  be  used  of  motion  to :  siagamelu  chez  nous,  siena 
ere  beside  the  fire,  lea  mai  siegu  come  here  to  me.  Usi 
means  over,  on  behalf  of,  for:  gera  ngisu  usia  they  spat 
on  him,  na  captain  usia  na  too  a  captain  over  the  people, 
na  taba  olisia  usia  na  aigi  a  redemption  for  the  people. 

The  genitives  have  been  dealt  with  under  nouns:  i  is 
in  most  general  use,  both  are  used  to  express  purpose,  and 
ni  also  denotes  for,  belonging  to:  fasia  muka  manata  ni 
bae  uri  think  not  to  say  thus,  gera  mou  ni  oli  they  feared  to 
return,  ka  ote  nia  ni  rosuli  he  is  tired  of  obeying. 

2,  Compound  Prepositions. 

Some  of  these  are  nouns  used  with  the  locative;  the 
pronoun  is  suffixed  as  the  actual  object  or  as  the  anti¬ 
cipatory  object  when  a  noun  follows:  i  fafo  above,  i  fara 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


25 


beneath,  i  lao  within.  The  locative  need  not  be  used  with 
lao:  lao  rodo  in  the  night,  lao  tala  in  the  path,  lao  salo  in 
the  sky.  Some  are  constructed  from  verbal  nouns  to 
which  the  suffixed  pronoun  is  always  added:  fonosia  in 
front  of  him,  nia  initoo  fonosi  gera  he  ruled  over  them, 
fonosi  taa  to  meet  what?  for  what  purpose?  Certain 
verbs  are  used  as  prepositions:  maasi  to  await,  garangi 
to  be  near. 


CONJUNCTIONS. 

Copulative,  ma.  Disjunctive,  langi,  langi  ta,  ma 

Adversative,  ta,  ma  ta  langi,  ma  ka  langi. 

Connective,  ta.  Conditional,  ana,  ma  ana,  saea. 

Illative,  fi,  fe. 


A  mark  of  quotation  is  saea,  uri.  Neither,  nor,  is  ex¬ 
pressed  by  a  negative  followed  by  ma.  Until  is  dao  ana , 
lea  dao  ana. 

NUMERALS. 


The  numerical  system  is  decimal.  All  numbers  over  the 
tens  are  expressed  in  tens. 


1.  Cardinals. 


1.  eta,  ta,  te. 

2.  e  rua,  ro. 

3.  e  olu. 

4.  e  fai. 

5.  e  lima. 


6.  e  ono. 

7.  e  qalu. 

8.  e  fiu. 

9.  e  siqa. 

10.  e  tangafulu,  aqala. 


In  numbers  other  than  eta  the  initial  e  is  omitted  in 
quick  counting.  In  composition  one  is  ta,  two  is  ro,  te 
generally  means  only:  rua  is  reduplicated  into  ruarua , 
tau  ruarua  equidistant. 

The  prefix  too  forms  distributives:  too  ro  doo  two  things 
at  a  time.  Nima  is  used  as  well  as  lima  for  five.  Though 
qalu  eight,  appears  in  the  translations  as  used  of  an 
indefinite  number  it  is  doubtful  whether  such  use  is 
correct.  Tangafulu  is  the  tenth  of  a  series;  aqala  is  used 
for  ten  denoting  a  unit,  aqala  f ono  a  full  ten. 

To  express  units  above  ten  mana  is  employed:  aqala 
manafai  fourteen. 


26 


LAU  GRAMMAR. 


One  hundred  is  tangalau:  tangale  doo  one  hundred 
things.  The  sum  above  the  hundred  is  expressed  by 
mana:  tangalau  fai  aqala  mana  fai  one  hundred  and 
forty-four.  One  thousand  is  too. 

2.  Ordinals. 

The  cardinals  with  a  substantival  ending  na  form 
ordinals. 

First,  etana.  Fourth,  faina.  Seventh,  fiuna. 

Second,  ruana.  Fifth,  limana.  Eighth,  qaluna. 

Third,  oluna.  Sixth,  onona.  Ninth,  siqana. 

Ordinals  precede  the  noun:  ruana  na  mwane  the  second 
man. 

Ordinals  are  used  to  express  the  number  of  times:  e 
ruana  lau  nia  lea  go  he  went  away  the  second  time. 

Ruana  also  means  fellow:  na  ruana  gera  their  fellows. 

Tenth  is  expressed  by  tangafulu  ana:  aqala  maaedangi 
mana  ruana  the  twelfth  day,  tangalau  ro  aqala  mana 
etana  one  hundred  and  twenty-first. 

Efita  how  many,  is  used  with  the  substantival  termin¬ 
ation  na:  efitana  what  number? 

3.  Multiplicatives. 

The  article  fe  is  employed  to  form  multiplicatives: 
guka  fai  fe  olila  I  shall  return  four  times,  sasigu  ka  fita 
fe  ade  doo  taala  fuagu  how  often  shall  my  brother  harm 
me?  tafe  once. 

The  causative  fa  does  not  make  multiplicatives  except 
in  the  case  of  faoroa  often. 

EXCLAMATIONS. 

Iu,  iuka,  assent.  Oto  mone  is  that  so?  Ne  is  used  in 
questions,  ati  ne  satamu  what  is  your  name?  na  mwela  a 
Joseph  e  langi  ne  Is  He  not  the  son  of  Joseph?  Aia 
sums  up,  so  there,  well  then!  Oimae  alas!  The  noun 
ai ,  person,  is  added  to  proper  names  to  call  attention, 
Joe  ai  hey,  Joe! 


PLATE  3 


Ramarama  Village,  Malaita. 


. 


'  I  I 


- 


. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 

A. 

a  1,  personal  article:  used  with  the  names  of  males,  both  native  and 
foreign,  a  Masuraa,  a  Luke;  is  used  also  with  doo,  thing,  a  doo 
So-and-So,  a  doo  na ,  the  person;  is  seen  also  in  ati  who?  In 
usage  it  corresponds  to  the  i  of  Mota  and  Malagasy.  Cf.  S.  a. 
a  2,  termination  of  the  verbal  noun:  attached  to  verb,  angi  to  cry, 
angia  a  cry,  fanga  to  eat,  fangaa  a  feast;  added  to  compounds 
girigiri  lifoa,  gnashing  of  teeth. 

a  3,  pers.  pron.  sing.  3.  suffixed  to  verbs  as  object,  and  to  preposi¬ 
tions  as  anticipatory  object  and  used  both  of  persons  and 
things:  him,  her,  it.  S.  a. 

a  4,  stem  to  which  the  pronouns  gu,  mu,  na,  etc.  are  suffixed  in  form¬ 
ing  the  possessive.  S.  a. 

a  5,  prefix  of  condition  making  participles:  luga  to  loose,  aluga 
loosened.  S.  ’a. 

a  6,  adj.  term,  suffixed  to  nouns  and  verbs  rodo,  night,  rorodoa ,  be¬ 
longing  to  darkness,  bulu,  to  be  black,  bubulua,  black.  S.  ’a. 
a  7,  exclam,  negative;  don’t! 

aba  (gu)  n.,  hand,  arm,  part,  leaf:  fuli  abae  ai,  men’s  handiwork. 
S.  ’apa. 

abaa  n.,  staff.  S.  apaa. 
abalolo  a  banyan  tree.  S.  ’apalolo. 
abasua  adj.  afraid  of,  silent  out  of  respect  for  a  person, 
abatoo  v.  i.  to  be  barren,  of  women, 
abolo  n.,  a  piece:  abole  ai,  a  beam.  S.  polo. 
abu  (gu)  n.,  blood:  abu  rakaraka,  an  issue  of  blood.  S.  ’ apu . 
abua  adj.,  red. 

abu  2.  v.  i.  to  be  forbidden,  taboo:  abu  rongo ,  to  be  unwilling  to 
hear.  S.  ’apu. 

abulo  partic.,  turned  round:  abulofasi,  to  face  towards. 

abuloa  v.  n.  a  turning  round.  S.  apulo. 
abusu  v.  i.  to  be  filled,  satiated. 

abusua  v.  n.  satiety, 
ada  1.  v.  i.  to  see,  to  awake. 

ada  filo  to  perceive;  ada  fua,  to  choose;  ada  sae  tamana,  to  rec¬ 
ognize;  ada  too,  to  succeed  in  finding. 
adala,  v.  n.  sight,  seeing. 
adasi,  v.  tr.  to  see.  faada. 

ada  2.  poss.  pi.  3,  among  them,  for  them,  for  their  part,  theirs  (of 
things  to  eat),  used  also  as  obj.  to  neut.  verb;  tani  aiai  ada , 
some  of  them.  S.  ’ada% 

Adagege  artificial  islet  next  to  Ferasubua  going  north, 
adalu  poss.  pi.  3,  as  ada,  but  more  restricted  in  application, 
adaro  poss.  dual.  3.  Cf.  ada  2. 


27 


28 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


ade  v.  tr.  to  do,  to  make;  of  disease,  to  be  prostrated  by  si  maea  e 
adea,  he  was  sick;  ade  au,  to  play  on  a  bamboo  flute;  ade  doo, 
to  worship;  ade  doola,  worship, 
adi  v.  tr.  to  taboo,  to  place  one’s  mark  upon,  S.  adi. 
ado,  adomi,  v.  tr.  to  serve,  to  wait  upon,  to  furnish  with  food,  to 
worship. 

ae  (gu)  1.  n.  foot,  leg;  lado  ae,  to  follow;  aena,  because  of,  aena 
falisi,  lord  of  the  garden;  ae  i  fera,  a  householder;  ae  mwane , 
chief  man.  S.  ’ae. 

ae  2.  exclam,  ah!  ;  used  also  in  summing  up. 
afa  1.  v.  i.  to  cut,  to  incise,  to  mark  by  cutting.  S.  aha. 
afa  2.  an  eagle.  S.  hada. 
afe  1.  woman,  wife;  si  afe  nau,  my  wife, 
afe  2.  v.  tr.  to  direct,  to  guide,  S.  ’ ahe . 
afe,  afeafe  3.  n.  foam,  waves;  na  afe,  surf.  S.  ahe. 
afedali;  matai  afedali,  to  be  in  a  fever.  S.  madali ,  wet  with  per¬ 
spiration. 

afetai  partic.,  difficult;  h ae  afetai,  to  take  an  oath, 
afoa  partic.  apart,  separate.  S.  ahoa. 
afu  v.  tr.  to  wrap  up,  to  hide.  S.  ahu. 
afui  partic.  precedes  verb,  altogether.  S.  ahuH  4. 
afuta-  (gu)  n.  all;  afutana,  all  of  it;  afutagamere ,  both  of  us.  S.  ahuta. 
aga  poss.  pi.  1.  among  us,  for  us,  for  our  part,  ours  (of  things  to 
eat),  used  also  as  obj.  with  neuter  verbs.  S.  aka. 
agalimae  a  spirit,  a  ghost. 

agalo  a  ghost;  qaife  agalo,  a  witch  doctor.  S.  ’ akalo . 

agamelu  poss.  pi.  1.  excl.  for  us,  for  our  part,  among  us,  us  (obj). 

agamere  poss.  dual,  excl.  for  us  two,  among  us  two,  us  two  (obj.) 

agamolu  poss.  pi.  2.  for  you,  among  you,  you  (obj.) 

agamere  poss.  dual,  excl.  for  us  two,  among  us  two,  us  two  (obj). 

agamolu  poss.  pi.  2.  for  you,  among  you,  you  (obj). 

agamu  poss.  pi.  2.  for  you,  among  you,  for  your  part,  you  (obj.); 

ati  mwane  agamu,  what  man  among  you? 
agani  v.  tr.  to  pluck  out.  S.  akani. 
agau  to  be  ready.  S.  akau. 
age;  age  reresi .  a  lily.  Crinum  asiaticum. 
agera  poss.  pi.  3.  for  them,  among  them,  them  (obj.). 
ago,  agoago,  1.  v.  i.  to  be  hot,  to  shrivel  up;  manata  agoago,  to  be 
zealous;  2.  n.  si  agoago  heat, 
agofi  v.  tr.  to  cause  to  be  hot. 
agolu  poss.  pi.  1.  more  restricted  in  meaning  than  aga. 
agoro  poss.  dual.  1.  incl.  for  us  two,  of  us  two,  us  two  (obj.). 
agu  poss.  sing.  1.  for  me,  for  my  part,  me  (obj.). 
ai,  aiai,  1.  n.  a  person,  kindred,  you  (voc.)  Joe,  ai,  I  say,  Joe!  mwela 
ai,  Hey,  you!  ai  ana  fera  nau,  my  neighbour;  ai  salaa,  a 
stranger;  James  ai  tou,  James  the  Less;  ogule  ai,  a  company; 
too  te  ai,  a  few;  te  ai  gone,  only  one,  aiai  is  used  as  a  relative 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


29 


pronoun,  the  one,  that,  or  as  a  plural,  tani  aiai ,  everybody; 
tani  fufue  aiai,  some  seeds.  Compounded  with  sai ;  saiai  ne, 
that  which.  Mota  gai. 
ai  2.  n.  a  tree;  ai  rarafolo,  a  cross.  S.  ai. 
ai  3.  ai  lado,  to  graft, 
ai  4.  trans.  suffix  to  verb;  sato,  satoai. 

aia  1.  sister,  female  relations;  used  with  art.  ni  for  sing.,  ote  for  pi. 
aia  2.  exclam.  Hey!  well  then! 
aini  trans.  suffix  to  verb.  S.  aini. 
ainitalongaini  v.  tr.  to  proclaim.  S.  talonga’ini. 
ala  1.  v.  i.  to  answer;  alagwau,  to  nod  the  head  in  affirmation, 
alamai  v.  i.  to  answer. 

alamaini  v.  tr.  to  obey,  to  take  notice  of.  S.  ala. 
ala  2.  v.  tr.  to  bite;  ala  meme,  to  bite  and  rend;  alatagalaa ,  to  feed 
promiscuously  (of  animals).  S.  ala. 
ala,  alaala  3.  v.  i.  to  set  a  net;  alafafi,  to  surround,  to  catch. 

alasi  v.  tr.  to  lie  in  wait  for.  S.  ala. 
alaa  adv.  up;  of  direction,  southeast  S.  ’ala’ a. 
alafana  adv.  like,  just  as.  Cf.  S.  alihana. 
alange;  alange  gwou ,  to  nod  the  head  in  affirmation,  ala.  1. 
aliali  forthwith. 

aliburi  (na)  v.  tr.  to  shorten,  curtail, 
alida  v.  i.  to  journey  by  sea.  S.  alide. 

alidea  v.  n. 
alifii  v.  tr.  to  lament, 
alifooa  n.  blood  money. 

alinga  (gu)  n.  ear;  alinga  bungu,  deaf.  S.  ’ alinge . 
alitafu  n.  a  dung  heap,  refuse.  S.  alitehu. 
alofi  v.tr.  to  shake  off. 

alu  v.  tr.  to  put,  bury;  v.  i.  to  become;  alu  ere  ana ,  to  burn;  alu 
mwela,  to  have  children;  salo  e  alu  maraqai,  the  sky  is  red; 
alufafola,  addition,  increase.  U.  ’alu. 
alua,  dehortative,  no!  don’t!  aluafasi,  wait  a  while! 
alula  v.  n.  putting,  becoming, 
alualu  v.  i.  bae  alualu,  to  promise, 
aluga  partic.  unloosed,  luga. 

amu  1.  poss.  sing.  2.  for  thee,  thee  (obj).  gera  soea  amu,  they  asked 
it  of  thee.  S.  amu. 

amu  2.  v  i.  to  be  dumb;  a  amu,  the  deaf  mute.  S.  amumu. 
ana  1.  poss.  sing.  3.  for  him,  her,  it;  used  also  as  obj.  e  soea  ana,  he 
asked  him  for  it;  e  lea  ana,  he  went  on  his  way;  e  ita  ana  mai, 
from  there;  qaifamanatai  ana  too,  a  teacher  of  the  people;  e 
baita  tasaana,  bigger  than  it;  bota  ana,  perhaps.  S.  ana. 
ana  2.  instrumental,  with,  therewithal;  doo  gera  saungia  ana,  the 
thing  they  killed  him  with.  S.  ana. 
ana  3.  belonging  to,  from,  him,  her,  it;  o  ngalia  ana  ati,  from  whom 
did  you  get  it?  tani  ai  ana  aigi,  some  of  the  people.  S.  ana. 


30 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


ana  4.  time  when;  ana  ta  maedangi,  on  a  certain  day;  ana  koburo , 
in  the  time  of  the  northwest  wind,  summer.  S.  ana. 
ana  5.  after,  by  the  name  of;  e  saea  lau  ana  satana ,  he  called  him  by 
his  name.  S.  ana. 

ana  6.  of,  belonging  to;  used  in  composition;  kakao  ana  ano,  an 
earthen  vessel;  lea  ana  fera,  to  go  to  another  country, 
ana  7.  if,  for,  when,  because,  used  of  subjunctive, 
ana  8.  tangafulu  ana,  tenth  in  a  series.  S.  ana  8 
ani  1.  v.  tr.  to  eat.  Mota  gana;  Florida  gani. 
anila,  v.  n.  eating. 

ani  2.  instrumental,  with;  suu  fafia  ani  taa,  clothed  with  what? 
the  pronoun  a  may  be  added,  ka  modea  na  toongi  ua  inao  ania, 
to  mend  the  old  garment  withal;  liona  kafi  too  ania,  his  heart 
shall  be  glad  thereat.  S.  ani. 

ani  3.  prep,  concerning,  in;  e  langi  ani  nau,  there  is  nothing  in  me; 

gera  ote  gera  ani  nau,  they  will  have  nothing  of  me.  S.  ani. 
ani  4.  poss.  pi.  3,  used  of  things  only,  for  them;  na  doo  da  soi  amu 
ani,  the  things  which  they  asked  you  for.  S.  ani. 
ani  5.  v.  suff.;  ui,  to  throw,  uiani  v.  tr.,  to  throw  a  thing, 
aniramo,  v.  tr.,  to  do  violence  to.  ramo. 
ano  1.  n.,  earth;  si  ano  lofo,  dust.  S.  'ano.  Cf.  gano. 
anomi  v.  tr.,  to  bury, 
iano  on  the  ground,  down, 
ano  2.  v.  i.,  to  come  to  naught.  S.  ’ ano  2. 
angai  v.  tr.,  to  lift,  to  carry.  S.  anga'i. 
angi  v.  i.,  to  cry. 

angisi  v.  tr.,  to  cry  over.  Mota  tang. 
angia,  angila  v.  n.,  a  cry,  crying. 

angita  adv.  with  loc.  i,  i  angita,  when?  bye  and  bye.  Mota  angaisa. 

anu,  anuanu  v.  i.,  to  be  shaken,  to  be  loose.  S.  anu. 

ao  v.  i.,  ao  maa  ilengi ,  to  lift  the  eyes,  to  look  up.  S.  aonga'i. 

aqaa  v.  i.,  to  be  well,  whole,  convalescent.  S.  awaa. 

aqala  1.  n.  a  ten,  a  tally;  aqale  mwai,  ten  baskets. 

aqala  (na)  2.  n.,  its  noise,  the  sound  of  it.  S.  awa  2. 

aqaoro  v.  i.,  to  stoop.  S.  aqa  oro. 

arabuu  v.  i.,  to  reach,  arrive  at.  S.  arapuu. 

arai  1.  n.,  husband;  arai  faalu,  bridegroom;  arai  na  luma,  master  of 
the  house. 

arai  2.  n.,  a  chief;  inite  arai,  the  elders. 

arenga-  (gu)  n.,  part,  duty.  S.  arenga. 

ariabasi  v.  i.,  to  strive,  endeavor,  attempt.  S.  lapasi. 

ariri  v.  i.,  to  be  shaken.  S.  ariri. 

aro  v.  i.,  to  soar.  S.  aro. 

asi  1.  n.,  the  sea,  salt  water,  salt;  i  toulana  asi,  on  the  surface  of  the 
sea;  asi  namo,  a  lake;  busu  asi,  a  whale.  S.  'asi. 
asi  2.  man’s  brother,  woman’s  sister;  used  only  with  art.  mwai; 
mwai  asi ,  brethren.  Cf.  sasi.  S.  'asi. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


31 


asi  3.  v.  tr.,  to  cast  away,  to  fall  down;  daro  langi  si  asidaro  laona 
kilu,  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch? 
asia  1.  adj.,  scattered; 2.  adv.,  much,  excessive,  very;/ow  asia  na, 
very  lowly;  elangi  asia,  far  from  it,  by  no  means.  S.  ’asi  ‘a. 
asua  n.  daylight,  daytime;  fe  asua,  a  day.  S.  atowa. 
asufe  n.,  a  rat.  S.  ‘ asuhe . 

ati  interrog.  pron.  sing,  who,  pi.  gerati;  ati  gera,  who  among  them? 
ati  susulia,  who  knows?  (I  can’t  say) ;  doo  ati,  whose  thing, 
who  owns  it?  ati  satana,  what  (who)  is  his  name?  S.  atei. 
ato  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  in  motion ;ato  buri,  with  poss.,  to  turn  the  back  on; 
ato  folo,  to  cross  over  \lua  e  ato  fafigera,  the  flood  came  upon 
them;  ato  ae,  to  move  quickly,  to  hurry.  S.  ato  1. 
ato  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  difficult. 

au  n.,  the  bamboo,  flute;  musical  instrument.  S.  au  3. 
auau;  ngidu  auau ,  to  hate. 

B 

ba  adv.,  gives  force,  explains,  makes  the  diction  less  abrupt;  ati  ba, 
who  then?  a  doo  ba,  why  so-and-so;  go  may  be  added,  a  doo 
bago,  the  man  there. 

babala  n.,  a  tempest;  babalai  tolo,  a  hurricane, 
babali  (gu)  n.,  cheek.  Cf.  bali.  S.  papali. 
babara  (gu)  n.,  side  (of  persons  only),  loins.  S.  parapara. 
babaranga  n.,  a  draught,  shoal,  of  fish;  babarangai  ia,  a  shoal  of  fish, 
babataini  v.  tr.,to  throw  down,  break  by  throwing  down,  overthrow. 
S.  papa. 

bae,  babae  v.  tr.,  to  speak,  to  say;  baefua,  to  rebuke, 
baea,  v.  n.,  word;  si  baea,  a  word;  a  si  baea,  The  Word, 
baela  (gu)  v.  n.,  word,  the  act  of  speaking;  si  baela  nana ,  that 
word. 

baita  big,  loud,  to  grow  big;  manata  baita  ana,  to  love  a  person; 
Mala  baita,  Big  Malaita.  It  is  worth  notice  that  the  last 
three  letters  of  baita,  viz,  ita,  are  those  which  the  Spaniards, 
the  original  discoverers  of  Malaita,  added  to  the  name  Mala, 
by  which  Malaita  is  known  to  the  natives  of  those  parts.  The 
part  of  the  island  which  the  Spaniards  saw  and  named  is 
called  by  its  inhabitants  Mala  baita,  and  it  is  conceivable  that 
the  ba  of  baita  may  have  been  lost  in  transcription.  S.  paine, 
Alite  baila.  The  root  is  probably  bai,  and  ta  a  verbal  suffix, 
balafe  v.  tr.,  to  thank,  to  praise.  S.  paalahe. 

balafela  v.  n.,  praise,  thanksgiving, 
balala,  bala  v.  i.,  used  with  fafi;  balalafafi,  to  despise, 
bali  n.,  part,  side,  of  position;  ita  bali  logo,  from  over  there;  i  bali 
Jordan  i  bali  logo,  from  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan;  te  bali 
babali,  one  cheek;  te  bali  maa,  one  eye;  cf.  babali.  S.  papali , 
cheek. 

bara  n.,  a  fence,  gate,  wall,  courtyard;  gule  bara,  family  (tribe). 

S.  para. 


32 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


baraa  n.,  a  feast. 

barn  n.,  a  large  sea-going  canoe,  ship  (late  use), 
bata  n.,  shell  money.  S.  haa. 
bebe  n.,  moth,  butterfly.  S.  pepe. 

bele  v.  i.,  by  mischance,  by  mistake,  in  error,  of  no  avail. 

belengaini  v.  tr.,  to  do  a  thing  by  mischance,  in  error.  S.  pele. 
beli,  belibeli  v.  tr.,  to  steal,  to  rob,  to  steal  from  a  person, 
belilav.  n.,  theft.  S  .peli. 

beu  n.,  a  chamber  in  a  house;  kade  beu,  inner  chamber, 
bibii  n.,  mud.  S.  qiqi. 

bibisu  n.,  shiny  starling,  callomis  metallica.  S.  pipisu. 
bibiu,  mwela  bibiu,  a  baby,  an  infant.  ?Mota  piopio. 
bilage  v.  tr.,  to  shut;  bilage  maa,  to  shut  the  door, 
bili;  fabili,  to  make  dirty, 
bilia  adj.,  dirty,  unclean. 

bilili  v.  tr.,  to  press  upon,  weigh  down.  S.  pilingi . 

bilingi  v.  tr.,  to  press  down, 
binaae  v.  i.,  to  shine,  of  sun. 
binisi  v.  tr.,  to  bind. 

bito  1.  v.  i.,  to  sprout,  to  shoot,  to  begin  to  grow;  2.  n.  a  sprout; 

bitona  e  bito,  it  sprouted.  S.  qito. 
bobola  to  be  fitting,  meet. 

bobongi  with  loc.  i,  i  bobongi,  tomorrow.  Mota  qong . 
boe  v.  i.,  to  be  whole,  big. 

boeboela  adj.,  whole,  sound,  fat,  well, 
bokosi  v.  tr.,  to  hinder. 

bola  n. ,  a  pigeon,  carpophaga  rufigula,  Florida  bola. 
bole;  teo  bole,  to  dream;  teo  bolea,  teo  bolela,  a  dream.  S.  qole,  Mota 
qore. 

bona  v.  i.,  to  cease  speaking,  to  be  silent. 

bono  v.  i.,  to  close  a  hole;  toongi  bono  maa,  sackcloth.  S.  pono. 
bongara,  bongangara,  v.  i.,  to  succor,  nourish;  bongara  fonosi,  to 
oppose. 

bongi;  1.  too  bongi,  to  be  sad  of  face, 
bongi;  2.  dau  bongi,  to  take  hold  of. 
boro  1.  (na,  ni),  borona  aena,  heel, 
boro  2.  adv.,  perhaps,  probably,  possibly, 
boro  3.  v.  i.,  boro  tafa,  to  emerge,  come  out  from.  S.  pola. 
boso  n.,  a  pig.  Bugotu,  botho,  Florida,  bolo,  New  Guinea,  boro. 
bota  used  with  poss.,  blessed,  to  receive  a  thing  gratis,  to  be  well 
provided  with;  bota  ana,  haply, 
fabota  v.  tr.,  to  be  of  assistance  to. 
bouruuru  v.  i.,  to  fall  down,  to  kneel  down, 
bouruurula  v.  n.  S.  pouruuru. 

bubu  v.  i.,  to  look;  bubu  tete  adalu,  to  look  earnestly  at  them, 
bubungi  v.  tr.,  to  look  at. 

bubulu  n.,  a  star;/e  bubulu,  a  star;  a  bottle  (late  use), 
bubulua  adj.,  black.  S.  pulupulu'e. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


33 


bubungi ;  bubungi  luma,  a  village.  S.  pungu. 
bukonu  v.  i.,  to  be  grieved;  lio  bukonu ,  to  be  sad  of  heart, 
bulo,  bulobulo  v.  i.  to  turn;  afe  bulobulo,  a  tide  rip.  S.  pulo. 
bulu  n.,  gall.  S.  pulu. 

bungu  1.  a  shell  trumpet;  ufi  bungu ,  to  blow  the  trumpet, 
bungu  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  deaf;  alinga  bungu ,  deaf.  S.  pungu. 
buri  (gu)  n.,  back,  stern,  behind,  after,  of  persons,  buri  mwane, 
second  son. 

burina  after  that;  i  burimu,  in  your  absence.  S.  puri. 
buro;  lio  buro,  manata  buro,  to  forget.  S.  pu’o. 
burosi  v.  tr.,  burosi  lio,  to  keep  in  doubt.  S.  mahuro. 
buroburo  v.  i.,  to  bubble,  to  spring  up,  of  water.  S.  hure’i. 
bum  v.  i.,  to  be  narrow;  tala  e  buru,  narrow  is  the  way. 
buruburu  v.  i.,  to  be  frequent;  adv.  frequently.  S.  puru. 
busu  v.  i.,  to  squirt,  to  eject  spray;  busu  asi,  a  whale.  S.  pusu. 

D 

There  is  no  sound  of  n  in  the  d.  The  pronunciation  of  d  in  Lau  is 
much  the  same  as  that  of  d  in  English. 

da  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  3.  they;  used  by  itself  as  subject,  or  follows 
igera;  igera  da  ada,  they  saw. 

da  2.  pers.  pron.  sing.  3.  suffixed  to  verb  and  to  prepositions  as  an 
anticipatory  object,  them, 
dada  v.  i.;  dadafafi,  to  leave  undone;  to  pass  over, 
dadaola,  daodaola  adj.,  tired;  noni  daodaola,  weary, 
dafi  n.,  the  golden  lip  pearl  shell,  a  pearl;  fufue  dafi,  pearls.  S.  dahi. 
dalafa  v.  tr.,  to  strike  against,  to  hit. 

dali  v.  i.,  to  tread  upon;  uri  dali,  to  tread  under  foot.  S.  pulisi. 
dalu  1.  pers.  pron.  trial  3.  they;  used  by  itself  as  subj.,  or  follows 
idalu. 

dalu  2.  pers.  pron.,  trial  3.  suffixed  to  verbs,  and  prepositions,  as 
object,  and  to  prepositions  as  an  anticipatory  object,  and 
used  of  persons  only,  them. 

daluma  (gu)  n.,  middle,  in  the  midst  of;  used  with  loc.  i . 

S.  danume. 

dangi  n.,  day,  e  dangi  na,  it  is  daylight;  dangiliu,  brightness,  glory; 
maaedangi,  a  day;  suli  dangifiri,  daily.  S.  dangi. 
dadangi  v.  i.,  to  be  daylight. 

dao  v.  i.,  to  arrive;  rodofi  dao,  till  nightfall;  dao  ana,  until.  S.  dao. 

dara  (gu)  n.,  forehead.  S.  dara. 

daraa  n.,  a  young  man;  maa  ni  daraa,  a  young  man. 

dari  n.,  a  valley,  a  creek.  S.  da’iderie. 

daro  1.  pers.  pron.  dual  3.  they  two;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  fol¬ 
lows  idaro. 

daro  2.  pers.  pron.  dual  3.  suffixed  to  verbs  and  prepositions  as 
object,  or  to  prep,  as  an  anticipatory  object,  the  two  of  them, 
darongai  v.  tr.,  to  scatter,  cause  to  disperse.  S.  daro’i. 
dasa  n.,  fog,  mist. 


34 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


dau,  dadau  v.  i.,  to  hold,  catch,  take,  touch;  used  with  poss.;  dau 
agu ,  touch  me;  dau  toogu ,  meet  me.  S.  dau.  1. 
daula  v.  n.,  holding,  touching, 
dedengi  v.  tr.,  to  pom-  out.  S.  dede'i. 
dee,  deedee  v.  tr.,  to  catch  fish;  mwane  deedee,  a  fisherman. 

deela  v.  n.,  dee  ana  deela,  to  fish, 
didi  v.  tr.,  to  carve,  to  grave.  S.  didi  2. 

diena  adj.,  good,  proper,  accurate,  beloved;  lio  dienafafi ,  to  delight 
in,  to  love. 

dienala  v.  n.  U.  diena. 
dila  v.  i.,  to  jump  down.  S.  dile. 
dingalu;  sui  dingalu ,  completely  finished, 
dodoria  adj.,  clear,  open,  of  path, 
dole  v.  i.,  to  delay,  to  be  a  long  time, 
dolofi  v.  tr.,  to  rub  in  the  hands, 
donga  v.  i.,  to  spread,  to  circulate. 

dongaa  adj.,  consecutive.  S.  donga  2. 
doo  n.,  thing;  the  noun  ending  may  be  added;  with  the  personal 
article,  a  doo,  the  person,  so-and-so,  such  an  one;  ni  doo  ne, 
the  woman,  woman  (Voc.);  doo  mamana ,  truly;  ade  doo,  to 
worship;  dooa,  doola  v.  n.,  saitama  dooa,  wisdom;  ade  doola, 
worship;  cf.  S.  ola. 
dori  v.  tr.,  to  wish  for,  desire,  love. 

dudu  v.  i.,  to  move  position;  dudu  max,  come  hither;  dudu  oli,  to 
retire.  U.  dudu. 
dumuli  v.  tr.,  to  lay  hold  of. 

duqe  v.  tr.,  to  split,  burst,  wound;  too  duqe,  to  cause  to  burst  open; 
ofu  duqe ,  to  burst. 

duu  v.  tr.,  to  visit  upon,  punish,  repay,  qaiduu,  to  revenge, 
duulana,  with  loc.  i,  i  duulana,  because  of. 
duula  v.  n.,  recompense. 

E 

e.  1.  used  to  make  a  construct  form,  added  to  the  first  of  two  nouns, 
fuli  abae  ai,  man’s  handiwork;  toloefera,  a  hill;  when  the  first 
noun  ends  in  a,  ae  is  contracted  into  e,  aqale  mwae,  ten  bags ; 
fufue  ai,  seed;  when  the  first  noun  ends  in  o,  the  oe  is  con¬ 
tracted  into  e;  abolo,  piece,  abole  ai,  log.  Cf.  Mota,  construct 
form  of  nouns,  where  the  ending  of  the  first  noun  may  be 
altered  to  e. 

e.  2.  pers.  pron.  sing.  3.  he,  she,  it,  used  to  precede  nia  when  the 
meaning  is,  there  is,  it  is:  na  liqa  gera  enia  ada,  they  have 
their  holes;  ma  te  ai  enia  i  luma,  there  is  only  one  person  in 
the  house;  generally  used  of  the  neuter;  e  langi,  no,  not; 
e  langi  ana,  it  is  lost;  e  langi  o  si  sulu  isulia,  you  must  not 
follow  him;  e  sui  na,  it  is  finished;  e  uta,  how?  S.  e. 
e.  3.  v.  p.,  used  with  numerals  and  with^a;  e  rua.  two;  efita,  how 
many?  S.  e. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


35 


eela  adj.,  lazy;  noni  eela,  lazy, 
eelenga  (na)  n.,  the  end  of,  its  end. 
eeo  v.  i.,  to  be  crooked. 

ele  v.  i.,  to  desire,  used  with  uri;  ele  uria,  desirous  of  it. 
elela  v.  n.,  rejoicing, 
elea  adj.,  joyfully, 
eli,  elieli  v.  tr.,  to  dig. 

elila  v.  n.,  digging.  S.  eli. 

enia  pers.  pro.  sing.  3.  he,  she,  it;  enia  naane ,  that  is  so;  gele  mwela 
enia  ada,  the  small  child  (he)  was  with  them.  Cf.  e.  2. 
eqetaini  v.  tr.,  to  remit,  forego. 

ere  1.  n.,  fire;  alu  ere  ana ,  to  set  fire  to;  si  ere,  a  firestick. 
ere  2.  v.  tr.,  to  plait. 

ereere  v.  tr.,  used  as  prep.,  round  about, 
ereila  adj.,  round  in  shape.  S.  ere. 
erisi  v.  tr.,  to  despatch,  send,  qaierisi. 
eta  numeral,  one;  eta  inaofua,  to  be  in  front  of,  to  lead, 
etana,  ordinal,  first,  the  first  time.  S.  eta. 

F 

fa.  1.  causative  prefix,  applied  to  verbs  and  less  frequently  to  nouns, 
e.  g.,  famwaela.  S.  ha1  a. 

fa.  2.  termination  of  verbal  nouns:  mae,  to  die,  maemaefa,  sickness; 
otofa-,  concerning,  oof  a-,  approaching,  are  always  followed 
by  the  suffixed  pronoun.  S.  ha. 
faabu  v.  tr.,  to  forbid.  S.  ’abu. 

faabua  v.  n.,  an  oath, 
faabusu  v.  tr.,  to  fill,  satiate  with  food, 
faada  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  see,  to  awaken,  ada. 
faado  v.  tr.,  to  apportion.  S.  ado. 
faalamaini  v.  tr.,  to  entrust,  to  permit,  alamai. 
faalu,  faolu,  adj.,  new,  fresh,  recent;  arai  faolu,  bridegroom. 

S.  haalu. 

fabaita  v.  tr.,  to  make  big,  to  magnify  oneself,  baita. 

fabili  v.  tr.,  to  make  dirty,  to  defile,  bili. 

fabona  v.  tr.,  to  appease,  to  cause  to  be  quiet,  bona. 

fabota  v.  tr.,  to  be  of  assistance  to.  bota. 

fabulosi  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  turn,  to  turn  over.  bulo. 

fadole  v.  tr.,  to  be  a  debtor  to. 

fafanafi  v.  tr.,  to  covet,  fana. 

fafanga  v.  tr.,  to  feed,  fanga. 

fafaraasia  adj.,  tasteless. 

fafi  1.  v.  tr.,  to  help;  daufafi,  to  help,  to  surround;  2.  prep,  concern¬ 
ing,  causation;  fafia,  because  of.  S.  haahi. 
fafo  (gu)  n.,  above,  over,  used  with  locative  i.,  ifafona,  in  addition, 
on  top  of  it. 

fafola  v.  n.,  alu  fafola,  addition.  S.  haho. 


30 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


fafolali  v.  tr.,  to  illuminate,  fola. 

fafolifoli  v.  tr.,  to  signify,  to  explain,  folifoli. 

fafou  v.  tr.,  to  proclaim,  fou. 

fafunu  v.  tr.,  to  destroy,  to  cause  to  end.  funu. 

fafungu  v.  tr.,  to  fill,  fungu. 

fafurongo  n.,  a  disciple,  rongo. 

fafuta  v.  tr.,  to  generate,  to  beget;  said  of  both  parents. 

fafutala  v.  n.,  a  generation,  futa. 
fafuu  used  with  possessive  ana;  fafuuana,  real.  fuu. 
faga  (gu)  n.,  mouth.  Niue  fangai,  to  feed;  Mota  wanga,  to  gape; 
S.  awanganga,  to  gape. 

fagaro  v.  tr.,  to  deceive,  to  cause  to  stray,  garo. 

fagwau  v.  tr.,  to  make  desolate,  gwau. 

fagwoufi  v.  tr.,  to  give  drink  to.  gwou. 

fagwourufi  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  sit  down,  gwouru. 

fai  1.  v.  tr.,  used  as  prep.,  with,  to  help;  fax  oe ,  with  thee. 

faini  v.  tr.,  to  help,  to  companion  with;  fainia,  moreover, 
fai  2.  adv.,  where?  used  with  locative  i,  or  with  prefix  ni;  ifai ,  nifai. 
U.  hei. 

fai  3.  pref.  to  verb;  buri,  behind,  faiburi,  to  leave  behind;  faigwa, 
to  spill. 

fai  4.  numeral,  four,  faina,  ordinal,  fourth,  the  fourth  time. 

faiburi  used  with  poss.,  to  leave  behind,  fa  1. 

faigwa  v.  tr.,  to  spill,  to  shed. 

fakukule  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  hang  down. 

fakulufi  v.  tr.,  to  let  sink,  to  lower,  kulu. 

falaete  adv.,  only.  S.  hali’ite. 

falangi  1.  n.,  a  house  on  piles.  S.  ha’alangi.  langi  2. 
falangi  2.  v.  tr.,  to  bring  to  nothing,  to  destroy,  langi  1. 
falauni  v.  tr.,  to  decorate,  to  adorn,  launi. 
fale  v.  tr.,  to  give;  fale  abafafi,  to  lay  hands  on. 
falela  v.  n.,  a  gift. 

fali,  fafali  v.  i.,  to  walk,  tread;  falifolo,  to  turn  aside.  S.  palili. 
falisi  n.,  garden,  crop,  season,  year.  S.  ha’lisi. 
falooi  v.  tr.,  to  torment,  treat  shamefully,  loo. 
famae  1.  v.  tr.,  to  kill.  mae. 
famaesi  v.  tr. 

famae  2.  v.  tr.,  to  quench,  mae. 

famafo  v.  tr.,  to  heal  a  sore.  mafo. 

famamana  v.  tr.,  to  establish,  to  make  true,  mamana. 

famanatai  v.  tr.,  to  instruct,  teach,  manatai. 

famou  used  with  poss.,  to  warn,  terrify,  hold  in  honor,  mou. 

famwaela  used  with  poss.,  to  laugh  at.  mwaela. 

fanau  v.  tr.,  to  teach,  educate.  S.  ha’ananau. 

fana  v.  i.,  to  shoot.  S.  hana. 

fanasi  v.  tr.,  to  shoot,  to  covet, 
fanina  v.  tr.,  to  be  wont,  to  accustom, 
fanonifi  v.  tr.,  to  torment,  noni. 
fanualama  n.,  peace.  S.  hanualama. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


37 


fanga  v.  tr.,  to  eat,  to  bite  (of  fish);  tolifanga ,  to  fast,  abstain  from, 
fangaa  v.  n.,  a  feast. 

fangala  v.  n.,  food;  ade  f angala,  to  make  a  feast, 
fangado  v.  tr.,  to  make  strong;  fangado  rage,  to  comfort,  ngado. 
fangasi  v.  tr.,  to  harden, 
fao,  faofao  v.  tr.,  to  weave,  to  plait.  S.  hao. 
faolo  v.  tr.,  to  make  straight. 

faolofi  v.  tr.,  to  make  straight,  to  justify  (late  use), 
faolu  adj.,  new,  recent,  fresh.  U.  ha’olu. 
faorai  v.  i.,  to  plot,  take  counsel,  consult,  talk  together, 
faoro  v.  tr.,  to  multiply. 

faoroa  adj.,  often,  oro. 
faqaqaoa  v.  tr.,  to  make  clean,  qaqaoa. 
faqaqari  v.  tr.,  faqaqari  lio,  to  comfort, 
fara  (gu)  n.,  beneath;  with  locative  i,  ifarana,  on  the  earth, 
fararao  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  stick,  rarao. 
farifari  n.,  a  scorpion.  S.  hariheri. 

farodo  v.  tr.,  to  darken;  farodo  maa,  to  blind  the  eyes.  rodo. 
fasaa;  fasaafua,  to  curse;  bae  fasaa  ana,  to  curse  anyone, 
fasi  (nau)  1.  prep.,  from,  motion  from. 

fasi  2.  adv.,  a  while;  makes  the  diction  less  abrupt;  o  lea  fasi,  please 
go;  aluafasi,  put  it  aside,  i.  e.,  wait  a  while,  presently, 
fasi  3.  v.  tr.,  to  sow,  to  plant.  S.  hasi. 

fasia  dehortative,  don’t!  fasia  oko  lea  go,  do  not  go;  o  fasia  oko  luia 
lau,  do  not  forbid  it  any  more,  fasi  2. 
fasifa  v.  tr.,  to  sell,  to  hire. 

fasifala  v.  n.,  price,  hire.  sifa. 
fasui  v.  tr.,  to  finish;  fasui  lio,  to  satisfy  the  mind.  sui. 
fasusu  v.  tr.,  to  give  suck  to.  susu. 
fataali  v.  tr.,  to  do  harm  to,  to  spoil,  taa. 
fatai  partic.,  out,  clear. 

fataia  v.  n.,  a  manifestation.  S.  ha'atai. 
fatake,  fatakesi  v.  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  stand,  to  set  up;  fatake  qaimani, 
to  be  a  peacemaker,  take. 

fataofai  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  stumble,  to  offend  (late  use),  taofai. 

fatau  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  be  far  off.  S.  ha'atau. 

fatemaea  n.,  a  wonder,  a  miracle;  si  fatemaea. 

fateofi  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  he  down,  to  put  to  sleep,  teo. 

fateqa  v.  tr.,  to  lengthen,  teqa. 

fatona  v.  tr.,  to  cause  amazement  to. 

fatou  v.  tr.,  to  humble,  ton. 

fe  1.  article,  a;  used  of  things  spherical  in  shape;  fe  bread,  a  loaf; 
fe  bubulu,  a  star;  fe  gale  bola,  a  young  pigeon;  fe  kakarai  kua, 
a  hen’s  egg;  fe  rode,  a  reed;  na  or  ta,  or  te,  may  precede; 
fe  uo,  a  hill;  tefuana  ta  fe  uo ,  every  hill;  na  fe  uo,  a  hill; 
tefe  mwela  matala,  an  only  son;  used  of  one  of  a  series;  fe  asua, 
a  day;  fe  rodo,  a  night;  used  as  a  multiplicative;  ro  fe  angia, 
two  cryings;  fita  fe  ade  doo  taa  fuagu,  how  many  sinnings 
against  me?  Cf.  qe. 


38 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


fe  2.  (a)  marks  repetition  or  restoration  or  continuance;  is  accom¬ 
panied  by  adv.  lau,  again;  na  abanae  fe  boeboela  lau,  his  hand 
was  restored  whole;  daro  fe  lea  lau  go,  they  two  went  on; 
(b)  used  as  an  illative,  in  that  case,  following  upon.  S.  hei. 
fera  n.,  land,  village,  habitation;  fera  fu,  heritage;  fera  gwou,  a 
deserted  village.  S.  hera. 

Ferasubua  artificial  islet  north  of  Fuaga. 

fi  illative,  in  that  case,  then,  following  upon,  just  now,  for  the  first 
time;  follows  the  verbal  particles  ka,  ko,  but  a  particle  need 
not  be  used;  garni  mi  fi  saitamana  na  tala,  and  how  shall  we 
know  the  way? 

fi  2.  trans.  suffix  to  verb;  tau,  to  wash;  taufia  abana. 

fidali  v.  tr.,  to  clap  the  hands,  to  strike  with  the  hands.  S.  hideli. 

fii  v.  i.,  to  be  in  pain,  to  hurt.  S.  hii. 

fiila  v.  n.,  pain,  nonifii. 
fili;  taifili,  alone.  S.  hili. 

filo;  adafilo,  to  choose,  to  perceive;  too  filo,  to  perceive, 
finau  n.,  a  hook.  S.  hinou. 
fiolo  v.  i.,  to  be  hungry. 

fioloa  v.  n.,  hunger.  S.  hi’olo. 

firi  adv.,  always,  lasting;  too  firi,  everlasting;  suli  dangifiri,  daily, 
firu  v.  i.,  to  fight  with  weapons. 

firula  v.  n.,  a  fight,  war;  na  firula. 
fisu,  fifisu  v.  tr.,  to  pluck. 

fita  interrog.  adv.,  used  with  e  3;  e  fita,  how  many?  sasigu  ka  fita 
fe  ode  doo  taa  fuagu,  how  often  shall  my  brother  wrong  me? 
S.  nite. 

fitali  v.  tr.,  to  split;  too  fitali,  split  in  sunder.  S.  hideli. 
foaa  v.  tr.,  to  pray. 

foaataini  v.  tr.,  to  pray  for. 
foaala  v.  n.,  prayer, 
foda  v.  tr.,  to  shut,  to  close, 
foela  v.  n.,  division,  schism, 
foga  v.  i.,  to  be  open,  to  rend.  S.  ho’a. 

fola  v.  i.,  to  shine,  to  be  clear;  lioda  kasi  fola,  their  minds  shall  be 
clear;  bae  fola,  to  speak  plain, 
folala  v.  n.,  light,  clear,  shining, 
folaa  n.,  a  calm.  S.  holaa. 

folifoli  v.  tr.,  to  measure,  to  signify,  to  exemplify, 
folifolia  v.  n.,  a  measure. 

folo,  fofolo  1.  v.  tr.,  to  guard;  folo  fonosi,  to  protect, 
folola  v.  n.,  a  guarding, 
foloa  v.  n.,  guardian. 

folo  2.  v.  i.,  to  cross  over;  falifolo,  to  turn  aside  towards;  ato  folo,  to 
cross  the  sea.  rarafolo. 

fono  v.  i.,  to  be  full;  aqalafono,  a  full  ten.  Mota  wono. 
fonosi  (nau)  verb  used  as  preposition,  against,  to  meet,  to  protect. 
S.  honosi. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


39 


fonu  n.,  a  turtle.  S.  honu. 

foosi  v.  tr.,  to  officiate,  conduct  service. 

fote  1.  v.  tr.,  to  paddle;  2.  n.,  a  paddle;  sifote.  S.  hole. 

fotoi  v.  tr.,  to  hit,  to  crucify. 

fou  1.  rock,  stone;  si  fou,  a  rock.  S.  hau. 

fou  2.  v.  i.,  to  proclaim. 

foulai  v.  tr.,  to  proclaim.  S.  hou. 
founia,  faunia  n.,  a  sacrifice, 
fousi  v.  tr.,  to  turn,  to  reverse, 
fu  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  grieved.  S.  hu. 

fu  2.  adv.,  real,  permanent,  for  good;  ngali  fu  ana ,  to  take  it  per¬ 
manently.  S.  hu. 

fua-  (gu)  1.  prep,  to,  for,  dative,  motion  towards;  falea  fuana ,  give 
it  to  him;  mae  fuana,  die  to  his  disadvantage;  soe  ledia  fuana, 
question  him  about  it;  bae  fua ,  forbid  anyone;  in  order  to, 
fua  qaimani ,  in  order  to  help;  ngado  fua,  trust  (a  person), 
fuana  used  as  subjunctive  or  optative, 
fua  2.  n.  ashes. 

Fuaga  artificial  islet  inside  reef  at  Ataa  Cove. 

fuagalo  v.  i.,  to  be  in  good  time,  early  afoot  in  the  morning. 

fuasa,  a  crocodile.  S.  huasa. 

fualangaa  n.,  sin. 

fufua  (na)  n.,  fruit;  fufue  ai,  seed;  fufuana,  its  seed.  S.  hue. 
fufusi  v.  tr.,  to  scatter,  to  sow. 
fulaa  n.,  a  spring  of  water.  S.  hulaa. 

fuli  n.,  place;  fuli  abae  ai,  men’s  handiwork;  fuli  fera,  village; 

i  fulini,  in  their  place  (neuter).  S.  huli. 
fulo  1.  v.  tr.,  to  wash,  to  sponge;  n.,  a  sponge.  S.  hulo. 
fulo  2.  v.  tr.,  to  prepare;  fuloa  na  tala,  to  make  ready  a  way. 
funu  v.  i.,  to  come  to  naught,  be  destroyed;  ani  funu,  to  eat  up, 
devour;  doo  funu  gi,  things  of  naught,  vanities, 
fungo  (gu)  n.,  relations  at  law;  fungona  Peter  geni,  Peter’s  mother- 
in-law.  S.  hungao. 

fungu  1.  v.  i.  to  bear  fruit.  S.  hungu. 
fungu  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  full.  S.  honu. 
funguli  v.  tr.,  to  oppress,  cause  sorrow  to. 
furai  n.,  a  net;  furai  ana  deela,  a  fishing  net. 
futa  v.  i.,  to  be  born. 

futala  v.  n.,  generation.  S.  hute. 
fuura  v.  i.,  to  be  dropsical.  S.  pule. 

G 

gagaro  (gu)  n.,  flank,  side,  of  persons.  S.  karokaro. 
galai  v.  tr.,  to  strike,  beat. 

gale  adj.,  precedes  noun,  small,  little,  of  young  persons  or  children; 

ro  fe  gale  bola,  two  young  pigeons.  S.  kele. 
gali  (nau)  verb  used  as  prep.,  round,  around;  lea  galia,  go  round  it. 
S.  kali. 


40 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


gamelu  1.  personal  pronoun  trial,  1.  excl.  we;  used  by  itself  as  subj. 
or  follows  igamelu. 

gamelu  2.  as  gamelu  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gamere  1.  pers.  pron.  dual  1.  we  two;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igamere. 

gamere  2.  as  gamere  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
garni  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  1.  excl;  we;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igami. 

garni  2.  as  garni  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gamolu  1.  pers.  pron.  trial  2.  you;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igamolu. 

gamolu  2.  as  gamolu  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gamoro  1.  pers.  pron.  dual  2.  you  two;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or 
follows  igamoro. 

gamoro  2.  as  gamoro  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gamu  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  2.  you;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igamu. 

gamu  2.  as  gamu  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
garangi  (nau)  verb  used  as  prep.,  near;  adv.,  almost.  S.  kara’ini. 
garo  v.  i.,  to  be  astray,  loose,  to  be  lost,  to  wander,  to  be  wrong; 
manata  garo ,  to  think  astray,  to  err. 
garola  v.  n.,  transgression.  S.  takalo. 
gau  1.  v.  tr.,  to  extract,  to  pluck, 
gau  2.  v.  tr.,  to  bind. 

gefu,  gefusi  v.  v.  tr.,  to  tear  down,  to  roll  away,  to  remove, 
gege ;  ada  gege,  to  look  behind. 

Adagege,  name  of  artificial  islet  next  to  Ferasubua.  S.  keke  3. 
gele  1.  adv.,  a  little,  somewhat.  2.  adj.,  little;  gele  qe  ia  gi,  small 
fishes.  S.  kele. 
gelogelo  v.  i.,  to  be  shaken. 

gelogeloa  adj.,  shaken.  S.  kulekule. 
geni  n.,  a  woman;  ni  geni  ne  (Voc),  woman;  tole  genila ,  marriage. 
S.  keni.  Alite  mangeli. 

gera  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  3.  they;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igera;  used  to  mark  plurality;  gera  priest;  gera  na  Judea. 
S.  kire. 

gera  2.  as  gera  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gi  article,  denotes  plurality,  follows  the  noun;  na  mwane  gi,  the  men; 
na  mwane  oro  gi,  many  men;  used  with  the  forms  of  the  pers. 
pron.  pi.  but  not  with  those  in  lu;  gi  may  be  separated  from 
the  noun;  na  doo  nia  gi,  his  things.  S.  }i  8. 
gia  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  1.  incl.  we;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows  igia. 
S.  ki’e. 

gia  2.  as  gia  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  v.  and  prep, 
gidigidi  v.  tr.,  to  knock  with  the  knuckles, 
ginigini  v.  tr.,  to  pinch.  S.  ’ini. 

girigiri;  girigiri  lifo,  to  clench  the  teeth;  girigiri  lifoa  v.  n. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


41 


go  1.  adv.,  of  place,  there,  thither,  away;  added  to  lau;  e  bae  lau  go, 
he  said  also;  logo,  over  there;  sifo  go,  come  down,  descend. 
S.  wau. 

go  2.  a  demonstrative;  inau  go  agu,  I  for  my  part;  tefe  doo  go  ana, 
only  one  thing;  ne  may  be  added;  inia  gone,  that  is  it. 
S.  hou  2. 

golu  1.  pers.  pron.  trial  1.  incl.  we;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igolu.  S.  kolu. 

golu  2.  as  golu  1,  but  is  suff.  to  v.  ajid  prep,  as  obj. 
goni,  gonitai  v.  v.  tr.,  to  receive,  to  keep,  to  observe  and  do.  S.  koni. 
goro  1.  pers.  pro.  dual  1.  incl.  we  two;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
igoro.  S.  kure. 

goro  2.  as  goro  1.  but  is  suff.  to  v.  and  prep,  as  obj. 
gougou  (jia)  n.,  husk,  shell. 

gu  1.  pers.  pron.  sing.  1.  I,  used  by  itself  as  sub.  or  follows  inau. 
Florida,  ku. 

gu  2.  as  gu  1.  but  is  suff.  to  v.  and  prep,  as  obj. 
gula  n.,  place,  part;  gula  i  maa,  outside;  gule  bara,  family, 
gulu  v.  i.,  to  be  heavy,  to  be  enceinte, 
gulufi  v.  tr.,  to  be  too  heavy  for. 
gulua  adj.,  heavy. 

gumu  v.  tr.,  to  strike,  to  punch.  S.  kumu. 

gutafi  v.  tr.,  to  persecute.  S.  kotahi. 

gwa ;  faigwa,  to  shed,  to  spill. 

gwaa  v.  i.,  to  be  open,  of  ears.  S.  wa’a. 

gwagwaria  adj.,  patient,  gentle. 

gwai  1.  v.  tr.,  to  anoint;  2.  n.,  ointment. 

gwaila  v.  n.,  anointing;  gwai  ni  gwaila. 
gwalifoa  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  sink, 
gwalu  1.  v.  tr.,  to  promise, 
gwalua  v.  n.,  a  promise, 
gwalula  v.  n.,  a  promising, 
gwalu  2.  v.  i.,  to  moor  a  vessel, 
gwaofa  n.,  house,  ridge.  S.  qaoha. 
gwaofai  v.  tr.,  to  hide,  to  cover  over, 
gwari  adj.,  cold;  kafo  gwari,  cold  water, 
gwarimabe  v.  i.,  to  be  gentle,  quiet,  sober,  gwagwaria. 
gwau,  gwou  (gu)  n.,  head.  S.  q’au. 

gwaunga,  gwounga  n.,  a  generation;  gwaunge  vnwane ,  a  generation 
of  men.  S.  qaunge. 

gwauru,  gwouru  v.  i.,  to  kneel,  to  bend.  S.  pouruuru. 
gwautoli,  gwoutoli  v.  i.,  to  bow,  to  bend.  S.  qa’uloli. 
gwegwe  v.  tr.,  to  buffet;  salo  e  gwegwe  gera,  the  wind  was  contrary 
to  them. 

gwrelu;  tatagwelu,  headlong.  S.  tataqelu. 
gwini,  gwinigwini  v.  i.,  to  be  moist,  wet.  S.  qini. 
gwou,  gwougwou,  gwoufi,  1.  v.  v.  tr.  to  drink, 
gwoula  v.  n.,  a  drinking. 


42 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


gwou,  gwau  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  deserted,  overgrown,  of  gardens;  to  be 
apart;  to  be  empty,  finished,  of  a  vessel;  fera  gwou ,  a  deserted 
village. 

gwoutai  v.  tr.,  to  be  apart,  alone;  e  gwoutai  daro,  they  two  were 
alone.  Mota  wou. 
gwoubusua  a  hill,  gwou ,  head, 
gwouru,  gwauru  v.  i.,  to  kneel,  sit. 

gwourula  session.  S.  pouruuru. 
gwoutai,  gwoutaini  v.  v.  tr.,  to  bow  the  head, 
gwou  ulunga  n.,  a  pillow.  S.  qd’u  ulunge. 

I 

1.  locative;  always  used  before  names  of  places;  always  with 
adverbs  of  time  and  direction;  ifai,  where?  i  daluma,  in  the 
midst;  i  Ramarama,  at  Port  Adam;  i  kade  manga  na,  at 
that  time;  i  angita,  when?  i  se,  i  sena ,  here.  Forms  the 
compound  prepositions  ifafo,  ifara,  i  lao.  S.  i. 
i  2.  genitive;  geni  i  Saa,  a  Sa‘a  woman;  ro  kesi  kurui  bala,  two  pieces 
of  money;  used  to  express  purpose,  lea  i  fasifa,  go  to  pur¬ 
chase.  S.  i. 

i  3.  prefix  to  personal  and  demonstrative  pronouns;  inau,  igoro,  igia. 
S.  i. 

i  4.  instrumental  prefix  forming  noun  from  verb;  kamu  to  eat  areca 
nut,  ikamu,  a  lime  spatula. 

i  5.  verbal  suffix;  manata ,  to  think,  manatai ,  to  pity.  S.  H. 
ian  a  fish,  a  fish  tooth  (porpoise) ;  qe  ia,  a  fish.  S.  i'e. 
iano  adv.,  on  the  ground,  down;  mai  iano ,  on  the  earth, 
iangita  adv.,  when?  at  what  time? 
ibobongi  adv.,  tomorrow.  Mota  qong. 
ida  v.  i.,  to  be  ashamed,  to  reverence;  idafasi ,  to  reverence, 
idala  v.  n.,  respect,  shame. 

idalu  pers.  pron.  pi.  3.  they;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows  dalu, 
more  restricted  in  application  than  igera. 
idaro  pers.  pron.  dual  3.  they  two;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
daro. 

idu  1.  v.  i.,  to  count, 
idumi  v.  tr.  S.  idu. 

idu  2.  v.  i.,  to  move  position;  lea  idu ,  to  pass  by;  lea  idu  mai ,  to 
enter. 

idula-  (gu)  n.,  on  behalf  of. 
ie  (gu)  n.,  stomach,  womb.  S.  He. 
ifafo  (gu)  prep,  above;  maaedangi  ifafo,  two  days  ago. 
ifai  adv.,  where, 
ifara  (na)  n.,  underneath, 
ifi  v.  i.,  to  open, 
ifingi  v.  tr. 

ifitai  n.,  a  mat,  a  bed. 

ifitaini  v.  tr.,  to  spread  as  a  cloth. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


43 


ifu  (gu)  n.,  hair.  S.  ihu. 
ifu  v.  i.,  to  be  uprooted.  S.  * aihu . 
ifula  v.  n.,  a  fall,  an  uprooting. 

igamelu  1.  pers.  pron.  trial  excl.  1.  we;  used  as  subj.;  more  restricted 
in  application  than  igami. 

igamere  pers.  pron.  dual  1.  excl.  we  two;  used  as  subj. 
igamolu  pers.  pron.  trial  2.  you;  used  as  subj.;  more  restricted  in 
application  than  igamu. 

igamoro  pers.  pron.  dual  2.  you  two;  used  as  subj. 
igamu  pers.  pron.  pi.  2.  you;  used  as  subj. 

igera  pers.  pron.  pi.  3.  they;  used  as  subj.;  also  as  plural  article; 

igera  fiolo,  the  hungry.  S.  ikire. 
igia  pers.  pron.  pi.  1.  incl.  we;  used  as  subj.  S.  iki’e. 
igolu  pers.  pron.  trial.  1.  inch  we;  used  as  subj.;  more  restricted  in 
application  than  igia.  S.  ikolu. 
igoro  pers.  pron.  dual  1.  we  two;  used  as  subj.  S.  ikure. 
iida  (na)  n.,  pinnacle  of  house. 

iidimani  only,  just,  to  be  about  to;  iidimani  si  doo,  the  uttermost 
farthing;  tesi  gula  iidimani ,  the  merest  piece, 
ikamu  n.,  a  lime  spatula, 
ilangi  adv.,  up,  above,  in  the  sky. 
ilefou  n.,  a  precipice;  fou. 
ili  v.  i.,  to  choose;  Hi  doo,  to  choose.  S.  ilisi. 
ilisi  v.  tr. 

ilao  (gu)  n.,  used  as  prep.;  within;  ilaona,  inside.  S.  ila'o. 
ileli  v.  tr.,  to  judge, 
ilelia  adj.,  bruised. 

ilifaini  v.  tr.,  to  give  commands  to,  to  signify. 

ilitoo  v.  tr.,  to  tempt;  takes  gu,  mu,  na,  as  pronominal  suffixes; 

a  ilitooa  v.  n.,  the  tempter, 
imaa  adv.,  outside,  in  the  courtyard, 
i  moumouli  (gu)  on,  in,  the  left  hand  (late  use), 
inakesi  v.  tr.,  to  examine,  take  account  of,  beseech,  importune; 

inakesi  ingola,  to  beseech, 
inala  v.  i.,  to  discern  by  casting  lots.  S.  ilala. 
inali  1.  v.  tr.,  to  plait;  2.  a  rope.  S.  i’eli. 
inao  (gu)  n.,  before,  in  front  of,  of  old  time.  S.  ina'o. 
ini  v.  tr.,  to  pinch,  ini  i  luana,  to  throttle.  S.  Hni. 
inia  pers.  pron.  sing.  3.  he,  she,  it;  used  as  subj.  and  followed  by 
nia.  S.  inge'ie. 
inite;  inite;  arai,  the  elders. 

initoo  to  be  glorious;  soe  initoo,  to  glorify;  too  initoo,  the  rulers; 

initoo,  initoola,  majesty, 
inumae  v.  i.,  to  be  orphaned,  to  be  poor. 

inumaea  v.  n.,  an  orphan.  S.  inemae. 
inunufa-  (gu)  n.,  because  of.  S.  inunuha. 


44 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


ingo  v.  i.  to  beseech. 

ingosi  v.  tr.,  to  beseech, 
ingotaini  v.  tr.,  to  provoke, 
ingola  v.  n.,  inakesi  ingola,  to  beseech, 
ioe  pers.  pron.  sing.  2.  thou,  used  as  subj.  and  followed  by  o.  S.  i’oe. 
iqa  v.  1.  to  be  spoilt,  shed,  of  fluid, 
irogi  adv.,  yesterday, 
irori  v.  tr.,  to  mix,  mingle,  stir  up. 
isara  adv.,  shore,  to  the  shore, 
ise,  isegi,  ise  na  adv.,  here. 

isi;  isilana,  the  end;  isiburi ,  to  be  last,  finally;  isingana  ne,  from 
henceforth;  sae  isingana ,  leave  off  speaking, 
isuli  prep,  motion  after,  motion  over;  isulia  rodo  mana  asua,  by  day 
and  night;  lea  isulia ,  go  after  him.  S.  isuli. 
ita  adv.,  motion  from;  ita  ana  mai ,  up  to  here;  ita  mai  ifai,  whence; 

ita  na  mai  inao ,  from  of  old. 
itafu-  (gu)  n.,  on  behalf  of. 
iu,  iuka  affirmative,  yes. 

K 

ka  verbal  particle,  used  of  present  or  of  future  time,  or  of  consequent 
action;  nia  ka  bae  uri ,  he  speaks  thus;  gamelu  ka  ania  si  taa, 
what  shall  we  eat?  sui  ta  nia  kafi  bae  uri ,  thereupon  he  says; 
lelea  ka  rodo,  go  till  nightfall;  may  be  used  in  negative  sen¬ 
tences  with  the  addition  of  si,  not;  kasi  bobola,  it  is  not  fitting. 
U.  'a. 

kada  n.,  a  period;  kada  na,  kada  ni,  at  the  time  when;  i  kada  uta, 
when?  kade  manga,  while;  kade  beu,  inner  chamber, 
kafo  water;  si  kafo,  a  bamboo  water  carrier, 
kakalu  a  well  of  water.  S.  kilu. 
kakamu  (na)  n.,  edge,  border. 

kakao  basin,  vessel,  coconut  shell  cut  to  make  a  spoon.  S.  kaokao. 
kakara  egg;  fe  kakarai  kua,  hen’s  egg. 
kakasi  v.  tr.,  to  carve, 
kakau  (gu)  n.,  finger.  S.  kau. 

kame  (na)  n.,  used  with  locative  i,  by  the  side  of  (of  things), 
kamu  v.  i.,  to  eat  areca  nut.  S.  damu. 
kani  v.  tr.,  to  bind. 

kanila  v.  n.,  a  binding, 
kanikulu  v.  tr.,  to  hang  up,  suspend, 
kao  a  bamboo  water  carrier.  Cf.  kafo. 
kari  v.  tr.,  to  tear,  rend,  break  open,  take  to  pieces, 
kau,  kakau,  v.  tr.,  to  bind,  tie. 
kakari  v.  i.,  to  be  torn, 
kauraa  v.  tr.,  to  mend,  patch. 

ke  article,  followed  by  si  2.;  ro  kesi  kurui  bata,  two  pieces  of  money; 
added  to  te,  teke  si  gula,  a  part. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


45 


kede,  kekede  v.  tr.,  to  cut,  carve,  write. 

kedela  n.,  inscription,  writing,  letter, 
kedekedea,  kekedea,  adj.,  gorgeous,  bright-colored, 
kekerofa  (na)  n.,  of,  amongst;  ada  kekerofana,  choose  from  among; 

mou  kekerofana,  fearful  of. 
keketo  v.  tr.,  to  judge. 

keketola  v.  n.,  judgment, 
keo  v.  i.,  to  be  blind;  mwane  keo,  a  blind  man. 
kete  (gu)  1.  n.,  head;  i  ketena,  on  his  head, 
kete  2.  v.  tr.,  to  cut;  too  kete,  to  cut  in  pieces. 

ki  v.  i.,  to  be  troubled  in  mind;  liona  kaji  ki,  his  mind  was  troubled, 
kiki  v.  tr.,  to  pour, 
kila  a  stone  axe.  S.  Hie. 

kilu  a  hole,  grave,  well;  kilu  ni  kafo,  a  well  of  water.  S.  kilu. 

kilugwou  a  tomb.  S.  kiliqeu. 

kirio  porpoise.  Mota  ririgo.  S.  Hri’o. 

ko  1.  verbal  particle,  used  only  with  o  pers.  pron.  sing.  2.  oko; 

denotes  consequence  of  action,  used  of  present  or  future  time, 
ko  (gu)  2.  n.,  ancestor;  ko  gia  gi,  our  fathers.  S.  kookoo. 
kobu  v.  i.,  to  be  fat. 

kobukobula,  adj.  fat. 
koburo  N.  W.  wind.  Florida  komburo. 
kokomu  an  islet.  S.  komukomu. 

kone  1.  n.  a  flood  of  waters;  2.  v.  i.  to  be  in  flood.  S.  kone. 

kore;  ruru  kore,  an  avalanche.  S.  kore. 

kua  fowl;  kakarai  kua,  fowl’s  egg. 

kubou  a  staff. 

kudo;  qae  kudona,  guiltless. 

kukui  a  dog.  Mao.  kuri. 

kulu  1.  v.  tr.,  to  bury  at  sea.  S.  kulu. 

kulu  2.  cf  kanikulu. 

kuru  1.  a  piece,  section,  kurui  bata ;  a  piece  of  money,  ro  kurui  doo, 
two  sections. 

kuru  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  maimed, 
kuru  3.  v.  i.,  to  sink, 
kuta  v.  i.,  to  shake.  S.  kute. 

L 

la  1.  termination  of  verbal  nouns;  attached  to  verbs;  mae,  to  die, 
maela,  death;  bae,  to  speak,  baela,  speech;  the  meaning  seems 
to  be  gerundival  and  to  denote  the  act  of  doing  a  thing.  Cf. 
S.  la  5. 

la  2.  termination  of  the  verbal  nouns,  attached  to  certain  nouns; 
te,  mother,  ro  mwai  telana,  mother  and  daughter;  attached 
to  verbs;  tasa,  ro  fe  tasala,  twice  as  much, 
la  3.  adjectival  ending;  attached  to  verbs;  taga,  to  be  scattered, 
tagala,  promiscuously;  tagalo,  to  be  lost,  tagalola,  lost;  teo, 
teteola;  attached  to  nouns,  mwai,  mwaila. 


46 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


labu  v.  tr.,  to  assault.  S.  rapu. 
labua  n.,  point,  prick,  splinter, 
lada  v.  i.,  to  fall  down.  S.  lada. 
lade  deep  water,  secure  anchorage.  S.  lade. 
lado  v.  tr.,  to  join,  knit;  lado  ae ,  to  follow, 
ladola  v.  n.,  a  member. 

lafi,  lalafi  v.  v.  tr.,  to  take  up,  pull  up,  draw  out,  Mota  lav. 
lafu  1.  v.  tr.,  to  pull,  to  wrench,  pluck, 
lafu  2.  to  be  worn  out,  old;  lafue  toongi,  old  clothes.  S.  lahu. 
lafusi,  lalafusi,  v.  tr.,  to  be  ignorant  of. 
lai  transitive  suffix  to  verb;  tege ,  tegelai.  S.  la’i. 
lala  v.  i.,  to  stretch;  lalafonosi,  protect.  S.  lala’i. 
lalaba  v.  i.,  to  walk  about.  S.  la’alapa. 
lalabata,  court  yard, 
lalago  v.  i.,  to  cling.  S.  nanako. 
lalano  the  ground  immediately  above  the  beach, 
lalanga  v.  i.,  to  be  dry,  without  coconut  milk  (of  yam  puddings), 
unleavened;  usu  lalanga  to  wipe  dry.  S.  langa. 
lali  (na)  1.  n.,  root,  lali  ngado,  to  be  firmly  rooted, 
lali  2.  v.  tr.,  to  drive, 
lalao  v.  i.,  to  run. 

lalaoa  v.  n.,  a  herald.  Mota  valago. 
lalifu  (na)  n.  corner. 

laliqate  v.  i.,  to  make  an  oration,  to  preach, 
laliqatela  v.  n.  S.  wate. 

lamua  a  dove; /e  lamua;  ta  rofe  lamua ,  two  doves, 
langae,  to  throw;  langae  fou,  to  cast  stones. 

langi  1.  negative,  no,  not;  e  may  be  prefixed;  used  as  negative  parti¬ 
cle;  e  langi  nau  gu  lea ,  I  did  not  go;  si  may  be  added,  nia 
langi  si  saea,  he  does  not  know,  e  langi  nau  gu  si  lea,  I  am  not 
going;  e  langi  si  langi  lau,  not  again;  langi  lau  no  more;  langi 
ana,  not  existing,  lost;  langi  ta,  or,  if  not;  ma  langi,  ma  e 
langi,  or  not,  in  questions;  lalangi  ana,  nothing, 
langi  2.  sky,  heaven;  ilangi.  S.  langi. 

lao  (na)  n,  in;  lao  rodo,  at  night;  i  laogamu,  amongst  you,  in  you, 
laona  maamu,  in  your  eye.  S.  lalo. 
laongi  v.  tr.,  to  cross,  step  over;  S.  laongi. 

Lau  1.  name  of  the  language  spoken  by  the  coast  peoples  of  Big 
Malaita  on  the  artificial  Islets  off  northeast  coast,  spoken  also 
at  Port  Adam  on  Little  Malaita. 

lau  2.  adv.  again,  anew,  also;  go  may  be  added,  inau  lau  go.  S.  lou. 
lau  3.  v.  tr.,  to  wrest,  abduct;  lau  doola,  extortion;  lau  fafi,  to 
deliver.  S.  lau. 

lausi  v.  tr.,  bae  lausi,  to  compel. 

lea  lelea,  v.  i.,  to  go;  leafonosi,  to  afflict;  lea  isuli,  to  follow, 
leafi  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  move, 
lelea  v.  n.,  going, 
leala  v.  n.,  a  herald.  S.  lae. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


47 


lebelebe  v.  i.,  to  be  weak,  sick, 
lebelebela  v.  n.,  trembling. 

ledi  1.  v.  tr.,  to  ask  a  question;  soe  ledi,  to  question  a  person, 
ledila  v.  n.,  questioning. 

ledi  2.  v.  tr.,  to  abominate,  to  renounce;  qailedi.  S.  leledi. 
lelefe,  a  dish,  bowl,  of  wood. 

li  1.  genitive;  maalimaea,  enemy;  maalitafa,  channel;  a  variant  of  ni. 

li  2.  transitive  suffix  to  verbs,  mae,  maeli. 

lifo  (gu)  n.  tooth;  girigiri  lifoa,  gnashing  of  teeth.  S.  niho. 

liligali  (nau),  prep,  all  around.  S.  lilikeli. 

lima  1.  (gu)  n.  hand,  arm.  S.  nime. 

lima  2.  numeral,  five;  e  lima.  S.  lime. 

limana  ordinal,  fifth,  the  fifth  time, 
lingisi  v.  tr.,  to  reverse,  turn  upwards.  S.  lingi. 
liqa,  cave,  hole.  S.  liwe. 

liu,  liliu  v.  i.,  to  ply,  come,  pass  by;  liu  idu,  to  pass  by;  liliu  kali, 
to  spread;  liu  inao  fuagamu,  go  in  front  of  you. 
liufa  v.  n.,  an  epidemic.  S.  liu. 
lio  1.  v.  i.,  to  look,  seem. 

lio  (gu)  n.,  appearance.  S.  lio. 

lio  2.  (gu)  n.,  heart,  mind;  lio  sarofaia,  harmless;  lio  bukonua, 
sorrow;  ro  si  lio  double  mind;  lio  too,  to  be  wise,  lio  tooa,  lio 
toola,  wisdom;  alu  te  si  lio,  to  be  brave, 
lita  (gu)  n.,  waist,  loins. 

lo  adv.,  there,  used  with  go,  and  gi;  ita  max  logo,  thence;  logo  north 
west;  na  ogule  boso  logi,  the  herd  of  swine  over  there, 
lobo  v.  i.,  a  lake,  pond.  S.  lopo. 

lofo  1  v.  i.,  to  jump,  to  fly;  lofo  laongi,  to  jump  over;  ano  lofo,  dust, 
lofoi  v.  tr.,  to  assault.  S.  loho. 

lofo  2.  (na)  n,  in  the  neighborhood  of,  over  against,  opposite  to; 

i  lofona  fera,  opposite  the  village, 
logosi  v.  tr.,  to  incline,  bend.  S.  lolosi. 
lola  v.  i.,  to  drown. 

lologu  v.  i.,  to  be  palsied,  crippled.  S.  loku. 
lolosi  v.  tr.,  to  bend.  S.  lolosi. 
lolou  v.  i.,  to  make  a  noise,  reverberate.  S.  lolou. 
loo  v.  i.,  to  be  fierce,  wild,  suspicious. 

falooi,  to  persecute,  cause  to  be  wild.  S.  loo. 
looua  grass. 

loulou  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  quick;  2.  adv.,  quickly,  quick.  S.  Iduleu. 

loulou  3.  adj.,  whole,  entire,  in  one  piece.  S.  laku. 

lu  contraction  for  olu  three,  used  to  form  trial  number  of  pronoun; 

dalu,  golu,  etc.  S.  lu. 
luga  v.  i.,  to  loose. 

lugatai,  lugataini  v.  v.  tr. 
lugala  v.  n.,  loosing.  S.  luhe. 

lui  v.  tr.,  to  forbid,  reserve;  alu  lui  to  set  a  taboo  mark  on.  S.  luu’i. 
lukumi  v.  tr.,  to  restrain. 


48 


LATJ  VOCABULARY. 


lulua  1.  a  stranger,  guest. 

lulua  2.  a  basket  of  plaited  coconut  leaf.  S.  luelue. 
luu  v.  tr.,  to  move,  to  depart.  S.  luu. 

M 

m  adjectival  prefix;  moi  broken. 

ma  1.  conjunction;  ma  ana,  though;  ma  ka  langi,  or  not,  in  ques¬ 
tions;  ma  ta,  but. 

ma  2.  adjectival  prefix  of  condition;  madiu;  matala.  S.  ma. 
maa  1.  (gu)  n.,  eye,  face,  aperture,  gate;  i  maa,  at  the  door,  in  the 
courtyard;  gula  i  maa,  outside;  maana  bara,  gate;  maa  too 
(i gu )  to  visit;  toongi  bono  maa,  sackcloth:  2.  art.  one,  a;  maa  ni 
dara  gi,  young  men;  fai  maae  oru  qailiu,  the  four  winds; 
mane  dangi,  a  day,  maae  dangi  i  fafo,  twro  days  hence ;  maae 
rodo,  darkness;  maae  f era,  a  village.  S.  maa. 
maa  3.  voc.,  father;  maa  nau,  father.  S.  ma'a. 
maabala  to  no  effect;  rao  maabala,  to  work  unprofitably.  S.  maatala. 
maabe  v.  i.,  to  be  willing;  mu  maabe  ni  elela,  you  were  willing  to 
rejoice. 

maadara  (gu)  n.,  forehead.  S.  dara. 

maafu  v.  tr.,  to  cover  with  wrappings;  maafu  maa,  to  blindfold, 
maala  an  ulcer,  a  sore, 
maaligwou  v.  i.,  to  be  thirsty,  gwou  1. 
maalimaea  enemy,  mae. 
maalitafa  channel  in  reef.  S.  maalitawa. 
maamana;  ro  maamana,  father  and  son. 
maasi  v.  tr.,  to  await,  expect, 
maasia  adj.,  while. 

maauugala  to  mock  at,  used  with  poss. 

mabe  v.  i.,  to  be  obedient,  willing;  manata  mabe,  patient.  Cf.  gwar - 
imabe. 

mabesi  v.  tr.,  to  correct,  rebuke, 
madafi  v.  tr.,  to  perceive,  feel, 
madalaba  oven. 

madiu  adj.,  different,  other,  another,  astray;  too  madiu  gi,  gentiles. 

madiua  1.  exclam,  well,  I  never!  2.  adj.  different.  S.  diu. 
mae,  mamae  v.  i.,  to  die,  to  be  ill,  to  be  numb,  to  be  eclipsed,  of 
moon. 

maeli  v.  tr.,  to  die  of;  bae  maeli ,  to  condemn  to  death, 
maea  v.  n.,  death,  sickness, 
maela  (gu)  v.  n.,  death,  danger, 
maemaefa  v.  n.,  sickness.  S.  mae. 
mafo  v.  i.,  to  be  healed.  Mota  mawo. 
magu  n.  clothing;  si  magu. 

mai  1.  adv.,  here,  hither,  this  way;  ita  ana  mai,  hither;  it  a  mai 
logo,  thence.  S.  mai. 

mai  2.  transitive  suffix  to  verb,  ala,  alamai;  fatola,  fatolamai.  S. 
ma'i . 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


49 


makalokalo  adj.,  in  the  early  morning,  used  with  locative  i. 
makeso  adj.,  weak,  feeble. 

Mala  1.  Malaita;  Mala  baita,  Big  Malaita;  Mala  Ton ,  Little  Ma- 
laita. 

mala  2.  mala  iteite  v.  tr.,  to  wound.  Cf.  S.  mala  masi. 

malefo  shell  money. 

malengai  coconut. 

malimali  adj.,  sweet.  S.  malimeli. 

malingi  adj.,  split,  overturned.  S.  malingi. 

mamagu;  v.  i.  bae  mamagu,  to  revile. 

mamagua  n.,  weakness. 

mamaloni  adv.,  only,  merely. 

mamalu  1.  (gu)  n.,  a  shadow;  2.  v.  i.,  to  cast  a  shadow;  sato  e  mamalu, 
it  is  towards  evening.  S.  mamalu. 
mamana  v.  i.,  to  be  true,  real;  doo  mamana,  truly;  manata  mamana, 
to  believe, 
mamanaa  truly. 

mamanaa  n.,  power.  S.  nanama. 

mana  used  of  numerals  over  ten;  aqala  manafai.  U.  mana. 
manata  1.  v.  i.,  to  think;  manata  suli  to  know;  manata  luga ,  to  for¬ 
give;  manata  too  (gu)  to  remember, 
manatai  v.  tr.  to  pity. 

manataila  v.  n.,  1.  pity,  mercy;  2.  thought.  S.  manata. 
manata  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  quiet,  tame.  S.  manata. 
mani;  qaimani,  to  help;  qaimani  fainau,  help  me;  fatake  qaimani ,  to 
be  a  peacemaker. 

qaimania,  v.  n.,  a  company.  S.  mani. 
manu  bird.  S.  mdnu. 

manga  time,  occasion,  place;  i  kade  manga,  at  the  time;  i  kade  manga 
na,  now;  si  manga  uta,  when? 

mangata  (na)  n.,  midst,  middle;  used  with  loc.  i.  S.  matanga. 
mangisingisi  adj.,  broken  in  pieces,  ngi. 

mango  (gu)  n.  life,  breath;  mango  fu,  to  be  sad;  mango  suu ,  to  faint. 

mangoli  v.  tr.,  to  breathe  upon.  S.  mango. 
mao  1.  v.  i.,  to  dance.  2.  n.,  a  dance. 

maoli  v.  tr.,  to  dance;  maoli  mao.  S.  mao. 
mara-  (gu)  n.  of  own  accord,  alone.  S.  maraa. 
maraqai;  alu  maraqai,  to  become  red  and  glowering,  of  sky. 
marigo  (gu)  n.  flesh,  body. 

matafa-  (na)  n.,  too  matafana,  to  know.  S.  mataqa. 
matai,  mamatai  v.  i.,  to  have  ague;  matai  afedali,  fever. 

mataia  v.  n.,  disease,  a  sick  person;  si  mataia. 
matala  adj.,  lone,  alone,  merely;  tefe  mwela  mataia,  only  son. 
matanga  (na)  n.,  midst,  used  with  locative;  i  mangata. 
me  for  mai  hither;  leafasi  me,  come  here, 
mea  1.  (gu)  n.  tongue;  2.  v.  i.,  mea  too,  to  taste  of. 
meali  v.  tr.,  to  lick. 

meafa  (na)  v.  n.,  tongue;  meafana  ere,  tongues  of  fire.  S.  mea. 


50 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


meme  in  pieces;  too  meme  to  break  in  pieces. 

mi  1.  personal  pron.  pi.  1.  excl.  we;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows 
garni. 

mi  2.  transitive  suffix  to  verb;  ano,  anomi. 
midi  v.  i.,  to  taste;  midi  odonga  ana,  to  taste  of. 
mode  v.  tr.  to  mend,  patch. 

modela  v.  n.,  a  patch, 
moi  adj.,  broken.  S.  VL 

moko,  momoko  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  corrupt,  to  smell;  2.  n.,  corruption, 
mokola  v.  n.,  corruption; 
mokofa-  (na)  v.  n.,  the  smell  of. 
molagali  n.,  all  the  islands;  the  world. 

momoi  v.  tr.  to  buffet;  afe  e  momoia  na  ola,  the  wind  buffeted  the 
ship. 

momoko;  momoko  ia,  breast,  bosom, 
mone  adv.,  gives  life  to  the  narrative;  tamone;  otomone. 
mori,  momori,  as  mouri,  to  live.  Cf.  S.  moli,  walaimoli,  mauri. 
mommoru  v.  i.,  to  be  broken  in  pieces.  S.  morumoru. 
mou,  momou,  v.  i.,  to  fear, 
mouni  v.  tr. 

moumoula  v.  n.,  fear.  S.  mau. 
mouli  to  be  left-handed,  awkward.  S.  mauli. 

moumouli  (gu)  n.,  left  hand, 
mouri,  momouri  v.  i.,  to  live. 

mourisi  v.  tr.,  to  survive,  escape  from, 
mouria  v.  n.,  life. 

mourila-  (gu)  v.  n.,  life.  S.  mauri. 
mousi  v.  tr.,  to  cut  off,  sever.  S.  mousi. 

mu.  1.  pers.  pron.  pi.  2.  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows  gamu; 

mu  kafi  lea  mai  i  angita,  when  will  you  come? 
mu.  2.  pronoun,  suff.  to  nouns,  sing.  2.,  thy. 
mumudi  crumb,  chip,  scrap;  mumudi  i  doo,  scraps. 

MW 

mwaa  snake.  S.  mwaa. 
mwaela  laughter,  famwaela. 
mwaemwae  v.  i.,  to  be  obedient.  S.  mwae. 
mwai  1.  a  bag; 

mwaila  adj.,  rich.  S.  mwa'i. 

mwai  2.  prefix  marking  reciprocity  of  relationship ;  ro  mwai  telana, 
mother  and  child;  ro  mwaifungona  geni,  mother  and  daughter- 
in-law;  used  as  plural  article,  mwai  asi  nau,  brethren.  U. 
mwai. 

mwaimwane,  woman's  brother,  man’s  sister,  a  mwaimwane  nau. 
mwaluda  adj.,  soft,  gentle,  kind,  possible,  easy, 
mwane,  a  male,  man,  boy,  exclam,  you!  added  to  proper  nouns 
and  to  certain  other  words  to  show  sex  distinction.  S.  mwane. 
mwaomwao  v.  i.,  to  be  weak,  feeble. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


51 


mwela,  child,  boy,  person;  used  with  article  ni  of  women;  ni  mwela 
ne,  this  woman;  mwela  bibiu,  little  child.  S.  mwela. 
mwemwedua  honey. 


N 

na  1.  definite  article,  a,  the;  used  with  both  sing,  and  pi.;  gera  na 
Grekia,  the  Greeks.  Cf.  Florida  na.  M.  L.  p.  524:  na  noni,  the 
body;  na  sasigamu,  your  brethren;  is  in  more  frequent  use 
than  the  corresponding  nga  in  Sa‘a;  in  many  cases  nouns  are 
used  without  any  article  when  the  signification  is  general. 
S.  nga. 

na  2.  pronoun  suffixed  to  nouns,  sing.  3;  abana,  his  hand:  added  to 
the  first  of  two  nouns  to  express  a  genitive;  i  tolona  fera,  on 
the  tops  of  the  hills;  gwauna  na  ai  gi,  head  of  men:  added  to 
cardinals  to  form  ordinals.  S.  na ,  Mota  na. 
na,  nana  3.  demonstrative  pron.,  there,  that,  follows  noun;  si  doo 
na,  that  thing. 

na,  nana  4.  adv.  follows  the  verb  and  denotes  a  preterite,  already, 
finished;  e  sui  na,  e  sui  nana,  it  is  finished;  sui  na,  there¬ 
after. 

naga  v.  tr.,  to  waste,  to  spend. 

namo,  inner  harbour,  lake,  pool;  suu  i  namo;  asi  namo,  a  lake. 

S.  namo. 
nana,  na  3.  4. 

nani,  nanani,  v.  i.,  to  seek  for. 
nanisi  v.  tr. 

nao  (gu)  n.  face;  with  locative  i;  in  front  of,  before;  naoe  gula,  first 
place;  i  naogu,  before  my  face;  before  my  time,  naonao  tolia, 
chief  portion  at  a  feast. 

nao  v.  i.,  to  lead;  nao  tala,  lead  the  way;  eta  inao,  to  lead.  S.  nao. 
naofa  (na)  n.  eldest,  first,  naofana  mwela,  eldest  child,  naofe 
mwela. 

nare  1.  v.  tr.,  to  roast  on  the  embers. 

nare  2.  v.  tr.,  to  prepare,  make  ready,  serve,  wait  upon. 

nau  1.  pers.  pron.  sing.  1.  I,  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows  inau ; 

nau  gu  ote  nau  ni  lea,  I  do  not  want  to  go.  V.  nau. 
nau  2.  as  nau  1.  but  suff.  as  obj.  to  verbs  and  prepositions, 
nau  3.  fanau  educate.  S.  nanau. 

ne  1.  demonstrative,  there,  that;  a  mwela  ne,  that  person,  he. 
ne  2.  interrogative  pron.  follows  the  interrogative  ati,  who;  ati  net 
e  uta  ne,  how  is  it? 
ne  3.  v.  i.,  to  speak,  make  a  sound, 
nee  v.  i.,  to  be  still,  silent. 

nena  demonstrative  pron.,  that,  follows  the  noun;  doo  nena ,  that 
thing. 

neneo  charcoal. 


52 


LAU  VOCABULARY 


ni  1.  genitive,  of,  belonging  to;  (a)  used  mainly  in  construction; 
fote  ni  f  era,  a  native  paddle;  baea  ni  sugela,  words  of  deceit, 
mwemwedua  ni  lalano,  wild  honey;  (b)  expressive  of  purpose, 
si  gula  ni  lea  inia,  a  place  for  him  to  go  to;  (c)  expressive  of 
condition,  rosuli  ni  manatai  garni,  hear  us  in  mercy,  gera  mou 
ni  oli,  they  feared  to  return;  fasia  muka  manata  ni  bae  uri ,  think 
not  to  say  thus;  (d)  added  to  verbal  suffix  giving  transitive 
force;  foaa,  foaataini.  S.  ni.  Cf.  M.  L.  p.  532. 
ni  2.  personal  article  used  with  the  names  of  females,  both  native 
and  foreign;  ni  Alida,  also  used  with  certain  nouns  which 
denote  women  where  in  Sa’a  nga  or  a  is  used,  ni  te  nau,  my 
mother;  ni  mwaimwane,  a  man’s  sister  or  a  woman’s  brother;. 
ni  aia,  female  relations;  ni  doo  the  woman;  ni  mwela  ne,  that 
woman;  is  not  used  with  afe  wife,  nor  with  geni  female;  is 
not  used  with  plural.  Duke  of  York  ne,  M.  L.  p.  566,  Gilb. 
Is.  nei,  Efate  lei,  S.  kei. 

ni  3.  interrogative  used  to  (a)  call  attention;  ni  ai ?  I  say,  you!  (b) 
in  the  sense  of,  is  that  so?  S.  ni. 
ni  4.  demonstrative  attached  to  ta,  one,  a;  tani  aiai,  some  people; 
to  oto;  tani  oto  ni  saiai.  S.  ni  3. 

ni  5.  a  detachable  prefix;  doo  nifai,  doo  ifai,  what  thing?  S.  ni  4. 
ni  6.  transitive  suffix  to  verbs;  mou,  mouni.  S.  ni. 
ni  7.  pers.  pron.  sing,  3.  it,  used  in  explanation;  na  light  fuana  noni 
ni  maa,  the  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye ;  e  uta  ro  si  lio  ni  amu, 
why  are  you  of  two  minds? 

ni  8.  suff.  pron.  pi.  3.  neut;  i  talani,  in  their  place.  S.  ni. 
nia  personal  pronoun  sing.  3.  he,  she,  it;  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or 
follows  inia.  S.  nge’ie. 
niania  v.  tr.,  to  deny,  repudiate. 

nifai  interrog.  pron.  what,  follows  noun;  doo  nifai,  what  thing? 
nima,  ninima  1.  (gu)  n.  hand,  arm;  ninimana  tala,  corner  of  the 
way,  beside  the  way.  S.  nime. 
nima  2.  for  lima  five. 

nina  v.  i.  to  be  accustomed  to,  be  able.  S.  nina. 
noabu  sparrow  hawk. 

noni  (gu)  n.  body,  shape,  fashion;  noni  fii,  to  suffer;  noni  fiila 
v.  n.,  suffering;  nonilau,  to  be  safe  and  sound.  Mao  tino. 
nono  v.  i.,  to  place  the  face  against,  to  sniff,  to  kiss;  nono  faini,  to 
kiss. 

nonoi  v.  tr.  S.  nono. 
nue  v.  i.,  to  be  foolish,  dumb. 

nuela  v.  n.,  folly, 
nui  (na)  n.  a  nest.  S.  niui. 
nuku  v.  i.,  to  be  wrinkled.  S.  nuku. 
nunulu  v.  i.,  to  wither.  S.  nunulu. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


53 


NG 

ngado  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  firm;  ngado  fua,  to  trust,  manata  ngado  ana,  to 
rely  on;  too  ngado,  to  remain  firm. 

ngado  2.  i  aena  ngado,  at  the  very  bottom.  S.  i  ngadona  aena,  at 
his  feet. 

ngae  (na);  adala  i  ngaena  maa,  envy.  S.  ngae. 

ngaini  transitive  suffix  to  verb;  sau,  saungaini.  S.  nga'ini. 

ngali  1.  v.  tr.,  to  take,  to  receive. 

ngalila  v.  n.,  burden, 
ngali  2.  canarium  nut.  S.  ngali. 
ngangarea  adj.,  deep  rooted. 

ngasi  v.  i.,  to  be  firm,  hard;  bae  ngasi,  to  speak  sternly.  Florida 
ngasi,  hard. 

ngi  1.  v.  tr.,  to  divide;  mangisingisi. 

ngi  2.  transitive  suffix  to  verb;  sau,  saungi.  S.  ngi. 

ngidu  (gu)  n.,  lip;  ngidu  auaufua,  to  hate.  S.  ngidu. 

ngisi;  fangisi,  to  acknowledge. 

ngisu  1.  v.  i.,  to  spit;  2.  n.  fe  ngisu,  spittle. 

ngisufi  v.  tr.,  to  spit  on.  S.  ngisu. 
ngosa  v.  i.,  to  bud;  ngosa  faolu,  just  come  into  bud. 
ngongosa,  a  spike,  a  horn;  ngongose  doo. 
ngu  1.  v.  i.,  to  sing;  2.  n.  a  song. 

nguli  v.  tr.,  to  sing;  ngulia  ngu,  to  sing  a  song. 

O 

o  pers.  pron.  sing.  2.  thou,  used  by  itself  as  subj.  or  follows  ioe.  S.  o. 
oa  v.  i.  to  share  in. 

oalangai  v.  tr.,  to  distribute,  to  share  in.  S.  ’oa. 
oba  v.  tr.,  to  take  from,  separate,  divide.  S.  opa.  Florida  sopa. 

obala  v.  n.  separation, 
odonga;  midi  odonga,  to  taste.  S.  ohonga. 
odu  v.  tr.,  to  command,  order, 
oe  1.  an  axe. 

oe  2.  v.  i.  to  commit  adultery. 

oela  v.  n.,  adultery, 
ofosi  v.  tr.,  to  take  down.  S.  oohosi. 

ofu  1.  v.  i.,  together;  ofu  bae,  to  witness;  2.  n.  ofu  si  doo,  a  bundle, 
ofu  3.  v.  i.,  to  boil;  ofu  duqe,  to  burst.  S.  ohu. 
oga  (gu)  n.,  stomach,  belly.  S.  ’oqa. 
ogi  (gu)  1.  n.,  bone. 

°gi  (gu)  2.  n.,  back,  outside, 
ogila  a  bone  needle. 

ogo  a  band,  a  creeper  used  for  binding.  S.  oko. 
ogosi  v.  tr.,  to  destroy,  pull  down,  uproot.  S.  ooho’i. 
ogu  1.  v.  i.,  to  collect,  gather  together;  ogu  malefola,  money  collect¬ 
ing;  2.  adv.,  together,  in  company, 
ogua  v.  n.,  company. 

ogula  v.  n.,  ogule  ai,  a  company  of  people. 


54 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


oi  v.  tr.,  to  break  off.  S.  Vi. 
oimae  exclam,  alas! 
okasa  unripe;  maea  okasa,  sudden  death, 
oku  summer.  S.  oku. 
ola  canoe,  ship.  S.  ’iola. 
ole  v.  tr.,  to  betray;  ole  ilalo  deceit, 
oli  1.  v.  tr.,  to  hold  in  the  arms, 
oli  2.  v.  tr.,  to  return,  go  back;  adv.  back.  S.  ’oli. 
olila  v.  n.,  return. 

olisi  v.  tr.,  to  answer;  nia  kafi  olisida ,  then  he  answered  them, 
olitai  par  tic.  converted;  olitai  manata  lau,  repent, 
olisusu  v.  i.,  to  strive,  quarrel,  dispute,  transgress;  olisusu  marana, 
to  deny  himself, 
olo  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  deep, 
olo  2.  v.  i.,  to  cry  out. 

olosi  v.  tr. ;  olosia  riilana,  cried  out. 
olu  numeral,  three,  e  olu. 

oluna  ordinal,  third,  for  the  third  time.  S.  ’olu. 
omae  v.  i.,  to  weep. 

omaea  v.  n.,  omaela  v.  n.,  wailing.  Cf.  oimae. 
onionga,  to  mock,  used  with  poss. ;  onionga  ana,  mocked  him. 
ono  numeral,  six ;  e  ono. 

onona  ordinal,  sixth,  for  the  sixth  time.  S.  ono. 
ongataini  v.  tr.,  to  vex,  annoy, 
ongiongi  v.  tr.,  to  deceive, 
oo  a  drum.  S.  Vo. 
oobala  a  shed,  hut. 
oof  a-  (na)  approaching  to,  with  child, 
ooga  v.  tr.,  to  be  tied  together,  to  incur  a  debt. 

ooganga  v.  n.,  debt, 
oolo  v.  i.,  to  be  straight;  adj.  straight, 
ooloa  v.  n.,  straightness. 

ooni  adv.,  temporary,  empty,  idle,  naked;  too  ooni  go,  fleeting, 
ore  v.  i.,  to  fail,  to  fall  short  of,  to  lack;  ore  fanga,  to  abstain  from 
eating,  fast;  ore  fua  to  be  lacking;  ore  ana,  to  be  lacking;  ani 
ore,  to  eat  and  leave  some  over.  S.  ore. 
oro  v.  i.,  to  be  many;  adj.  many,  faoroa. 
oru  1.  v.  i.,  to  blow;  n.  wind.  S.  ooru. 
oru  2.  widow;  qe  oru,  a  widow, 
oso  (gu)  n.  food  for  a  journey.  S.  oto. 

ote  1.  plural  article;  ote  ai  gi,  you  women;  ote  ruana  his  fellows;  ote 
geni  women. 

ote  2.  v.  tr.,  to  fash,  cause  ennui  to;  gera  ote  gera,  it  wearied  them, 
ote  3.  valley. 

oto  adv.  perhaps;  oto  mone,  is  it  so?  denotes  indefiniteness,  used 
with  ni  following,  tani  oto  ni  saiai,  certain  persons, 
otofa-  (na)  because  of,  on  account  of. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


55 


Q 

The  sound  represented  by  q  is  kw.  In  the  words  from  Alite  given 
by  Dr.  Codrington  in  M.  L.,  p.  p.  39  ff.  the  sound  which  appears  in 
Lau  as  q  is  there  written  as  ku;  e.  g.  kuai,  Lau  qai,  Sa’a  wai,  water; 
q  in  Lau  may  represent  w  in  Sa’a  qato,  waato;  qalu,  walu;  Ulaqa , 
Ulawa. 

qadangi  v.  tr.,  to  open  up. 

qae  1.  v.  tr.,  to  beat,  strike;  qae  mousi,  to  strike  and  cut  off;  qae 
maeli  to  kill  with  blows, 
qae ;  2.  qae  tafusi,  to  strain, 
qae;  3.  qae  kudona,  guiltless. 

qai  1.  prefixed  to  verbs,  denotes  reciprocity;  sua,  to  encounter, 
qaisuasuafi,  to  meet;  manata,  to  think,  qaifamanatai  to 
instruct;  liu  to  move  position,  qailiu  reciprocally;  mani , 
(Sa’a  mani,  altogether),  qaimani,  to  stand  together,  be  of 
help  to.  The  action  of  the  original  verb  is  enlarged  and  the 
subject  included. 

qai  2.  n.,  water;  maana  qai,  mouth  of  the  stream,  a  harbor  on  the 
northeast  coast,  south  of  Aio. 
qai  3.  v.  tr.,  to  load,  to  fill  up. 
qaiara  n.,  a  command, 
qaiaraa  n.,  reward, 
qaidori  v.  tr.,  to  desire. 

qaidoria  v.  n.,  desire,  dori. 
qaiduu  v.  tr.,  to  revenge. 

qaiduula  v.  n.,  vengeance,  duu. 
qaierisi  v.  tr.,  to  command,  importune. 

qaierisia  v.  n.,  a  command,  erisi. 
qaifamanatai  v.  tr.,  to  instruct. 

qaifamanataila  v.  n.,  instruction,  manata. 
qaife;  qaife  agalo  to  drive  out  evil  spirits;  mvoane  qaife  agalo  a  witch 
doctor. 

qailangaini  v.  tr.,  to  wag,  nod,  waive,  langa,  up. 
qailiu  adv.,  reciprocally,  used  of  mutual  action;  manata  baitafuagamu 
qailiu,  love  one  another;  lea  qailiu,  to  walk  about,  liu. 
qailiua  adj.,  humble,  of  low  estate, 
qaimaasi  v.  tr.,  to  await,  expect,  maasi. 
qaimanata  v.  tr.,  to  have  mercy  upon,  pity. 

qaimanataia  v.  n.,  mercy,  manata. 
qaimani  1.  v.  tr.,  to  help;  qaimani  fai,  qaimani  faini,  to  help;  2.  used 
as  prep.,  together,  in  company  with;  3.  v.  i.,  to  be  reconciled 
with. 

qaimania  with  one  accord.  S.  mani. 
qairaofai  v.  i.,  to  agree  with,  rao  to  work. 

qaisagali  v.  tr.,  to  revolt,  commit  insurrection,  take  up  arms,  trouble, 
vex. 

qaisagalia  v.  n.,  an  insurrection, 
qaisuasuafi  v.  tr.,  to  meet,  encounter,  sua. 


56 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


qaisusu  v.  tr.,  to  sacrifice, 
qaisusia  v.  n.,  a  sacrifice. 

qaitaa  v.  i.,  to  be  a  stranger;  too  ni  qaitaa,  to  be  a  stranger. 
S.  awataa. 

qaitaga  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  scatter, 
qaitali  v.  tr.,  to  be  disobedient  to. 

qala  v.  i.,  to  lay  an  accusation;  qalafaji ,  to  accuse  a  person, 
qalafi  v.  tr.,  to  be  delivered  of  a  child, 
qalu,  1.  numeral,  eight;  e  qalu. 

qaluna,  ordinal,  eighth,  for  the  eighth  time, 
qalu  2.  v.  i.,  to  emerge;  qalu  tafa,  to  emerge  from.  S.  wdru. 
qanga  n.,  thunder,  a  gun. 

qangafi  of  the  lightning;  sinamaaru  ka  qanagafia,  the  lightning 
*  thundered.’ 

qangareo  v.  i.,  to  pass  by. 

qaqalifola  v.  i.,  to  be  pure,  clean  ;fola  qaqalifola,  a  great  calm, 
qaqalila  adj.,  cold,  of  the  weather, 
qaqaoa  adj.,  white,  clean. 

qarao  a  creeper  used  for  tying;  an  iron  nail.  S.  wa'arao. 
qare  v.  tr.,  to  castrate, 
qarula  adj.,  stony. 

qate  v.  i.,  to  make  an  oration,  is  preceded  by  lali;  laliqate,  to  make 
an  oration;  lali  qatela  v.  n.,  an  oration.  S.  wate. 
qato  a  digging  stick.  S.  waato. 

qe  1.  article;  qe  afe,  a  woman;  qe  oru,  a  widow;  qe  ia,  a  fish;  na  may 
be  prefixed;  na  qe  ia  gi,  the  fishes.  Nengone,  Gaua,  wa,  we, 
M.  L.,  p.  71. 

qe  2.  a  simpleton,  fool;  gera  qe,  fools. 

qele,  qeqele,  v.  i.,  used  with  poss.,  to  wonder  at,  be  surprised. 

qelela  v.  n.,  wonderment,  surprise, 
qesu,  qeqesu  v.  i.,  1.  to  smoulder,  burn;  2.  to  shine.  S.  ’eso. 
qiqi  n.,  a  drop;  qiqisi  abu,  drops  of  blood. 

R 

raa  v.  i.,  to  climb  up. 

raaraa  n.,  light,  sunlight;  na  raaraa.  S.  raaraa. 
rabu,  rarabu,  rabusi,  v.  tr.,  to  hit,  strike,  beat.  S.  rapu. 
rade  n.,  a  reed;/e  rade.  S.  rade. 
rafai  v.  tr.,  to  exalt,  elevate. 

rage  (gu)  n.,  mind,  heart,  womb;  rage  ruarua,  v.  i.,  to  doubt;  rage 
sasu,  to  be  angry;  rage  sasua,  rage  sasula,  anger, 
rakaraka;  abu  rakaraka,  a  flow  of  blood, 
ramo  v.  i.,  to  be  strong;  ramofua,  to  deliver, 
ramola  v.  n.,  strength.  S.  ramo. 

rao,  rarao  v.  tr.,  to  work;  rao  ana  abana,  his  handiwork;  rao  uri,  to  do 
like,  to  work  at,  to  tend, 
raoa  v.  n.,  raola  v.  n.,  work, 
rara  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  withered,  ripe. 

rarasi  v.  i.,  to  shrivel,  dwindle.  S.  rara. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


57 


rara  2.  n.,  brightness,  glory.  S.  rara. 

rarafolo,  stretched  across,  a  crosspiece;  ai  rarafolo,  a  cross  (late  use). 
S.  lala’i. 

rarangia  adj.,  glorious. 

raramaa  v.  i.,  to  be  excessive.  S.  raramaa. 

rarao  v.  i.,  to  stick,  cling,  cleave.  S.  rarao. 

rarapu  v.  i.,  to  reach,  arrive  at.  S.  arapu. 

rarata  a  skull.  S.  rarata. 

rarau  v.  tr.,  to  kindle,  light. 

raunga  weapons. 

rauraua  adj.,  soft,  pliable. 

rebo  v.  i.,  to  be  full  grown,  adult,  old.  S.  repo. 

reqeta  v.  tr.,  to  open. 

rereba  v.  i.,  to  be  broad,  wide. 

reresi ;  age  reresi ,  a  lily,  Crinum  asiaticum. 

rigi  v.  tr.,  to  see. 

rigita  v.  i.,  to  be  strong,  firm,  rigita  fasi,  to  overcome. 

rigitangaini  v.  tr.,  to  do  powerfully, 
rii,  riirii,  to  cry  out;  olosia  riilana,  cried  out.  S.  m,  cicada, 
ro  1.  v.  tr.,  ro  suli ,  to  obey,  listen  to. 

ro  2.  numeral,  two,  used  only  in  composition;  forms  part  of  pers. 
pronoun  goro,  etc.;  ro  si  doo ,  two  things;  e  ro  mwane,  two 
men.  S.  ro. 

to  3.  numeral,  two,  used  with  nouns  of  relationship;  ro  mamana;  ro 
rnwai  sasina. 

to  4.  ending  of  pers.  pronoun  daro;  gamoro.  ro  2. 

rodo  night;  fe  rodo ,  a  night;  rodo  fi  dao,  till  nightfall.  S.  rodo. 

rogi  yesterday;  used  with  locative  i,  i  rogi. 

rongo;  fafurongo,  v.  i.,  to  listen  to,  to  be  a  disciple;  n.  a  disciple. 
S.  qaarongo. 

rorodoa  adj.,  dark,  used  also  as  n.,  darkness,  rodo. 
roroi  v.  tr.,  to  strengthen.  S.  roro’i. 
rua  numeral,  two;  e  rua.  S.  rua. 

ruana  ordinal,  second,  second  time;  gera  ruana  gera,  their  fellows, 
mama,  tau  ruarua,  to  be  midway, 
rum  (gu)  1.  n.  bosom,  breast, 
mm;  2.  ruru  kore,  an  avalanche.  S.  ruru  kore. 
ruta  n.  dialect, 
mu  v.  i.,  to  enter, 
ruula  v.  n.,  entry. 

S 

sae  1.  v.  tr.,  to  say,  speak,  tell,  read;  sae  isingana ,  to  finish  speaking. 

saetana,  it  is  said.  S.  sae. 
sae  2.  adv.  that,  in  reported  speech. 

saea  adv.  in  order  that,  that  so;  saea  o  lea  maifuana,  is  it  that  you 
have  come  for  this?  denotes  the  subjunctive, 
safali  v.  tr.,  to  be  equipped  with. 


58 


LAU  VOCABULAKY. 


saga  v.  i.,  to  proceed;  saga  tafa  to  proceed  out  of. 
sagali,  sasagali,  v.  tr.,  to  attack. 

sai  1.  n.,  place,  duty,  piece;  sai  i  nonigu,  my  duty;  sai  oe,  your  duty; 
with  ai  1 .  sai  ai  na,  that  one  I  mean ;  tani  saiai,  those  which, 
in  explanations. 

sai;  2.  sai  gano ,  on  the  ground.  S.  hai.  2. 

saitama  (gu)  v.  tr.,  to  know;  gu  langi  si  saitamana,  I  do  not  know; 

saitama  dooa,  knowledge, 
sako  v.  tr.,  to  catch.  Mota  sakau. 
salo  n.  cloud,  storm;  salo  uruuru,  white  fleecy  cloud. 

saloa  adj.,  stormy.  S.  salo. 
salofi  v.  tr.,  to  prepare,  clear  a  path,  sweep, 
samai  v.  tr.,  to  fit  on,  to  pair  with.  S.  sama. 
samola  n.  pride,  overbearing, 
sangoni  v.  tr.,  to  feed,  nourish.  S.  sangoni. 
sao  sago  palm,  thatch.  S.  sa’o. 
sara  beach,  shore. 

sarii  a  maiden;  geni  sarii;  too  ni  sarii,  to  be  unmarried, 
sarofaia  adj.,  gentle;  harmless,  blameless;  too  sarofaia,  quiet, 
sarufi  v.  tr.,  to  burn. 

sasala  adv.,  up,  upwards;  adj.  light.  S.  sa’asala. 
sasalu  v.  i.,  to  start,  arise. 

sasalungaini  v.  tr.,  to  collect,  make  ready, 
sasara  1.  (gu)  n.,  limb,  branch,  member.  S.  sasara. 
sasara  2.  v.  i.,  to  warm  oneself  at  a  fire, 
sasi  1.  (gu)  n.,  brother,  sister;  sasigu,  my  brother. 

sasina  n.,  of  relationship;  ro  mwai  sasina,  two  brothers.  S.  ’asi. 
sasi  2.  to  desire,  used  with/wa;  sasifua,  to  desire;  sasi  diena  fua,  to 
love  a  person, 
saso  sun. 

sasoai  v.  tr.,  to  expose  to  the  sun,  dry.  S.  sato. 
sasu  1.  v.  i.,  to  smoke,  of  a  fire.  2.  n.,  smoke;  rage  sasu,  to  be  angry; 
rage  sasua,  anger.  S.  sasu. 

sata  (gu)  n.,  name;  te  satana,  his  name  only;  ati  satamu,  what  is  your 
name?  with  pers.  pronoun,  friend;  sata  nau ,  my  friend, 
sasata  v.  i.,  to  be  friendly  with.  S.  sata. 
sau  1.  v.  i.,  to  kill;  sau  mwane,  to  commit  murder;  sau  mwanea, 
murder. 

saungi  v.  tr.,  to  kill,  to  be  ill  of.  S.  sau. 
sau  2.  v.  i.,  to  become;  sau  ana  mwane ,  to  become  man. 
saufini  1.  v.  tr.,  to  turn  away,  to  hide.  2.  adv.  secretly, 
saulafi  evening.  S.  saulehi. 
saumala  adv.,  granted  that,  even  supposing, 
saungaini  v.  tr.,  to  make,  construct. 

se  n.,  here:  used  with  locative  i;  i  se,  at  the  place;  i  sena ,  at  that 
place,  there. 

seka,  seseka,  v.  tr.,  to  rend,  tear, 
sesele  harlot. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


59 


si  1.  negative,  not  ;  gu  si  saea ,  I  do  not  know;  langi  may  precede, 
gu  langi  si  saea ;  e  langi  nau  gu  si  lea ,  I  am  not  going;  follows 
the  particles  ka,  ko. 

si  2.  article,  a  part,  a  piece,  any;  sifou ,  a  stone;  si  manga  uta,  what 
time?  na  may  be  prefixed,  na  si  baea  taa  ne,  what  words? 
si  doo  gu  saea  na,  the  thing  (that  which)  I  said ;  a  si  Eaea,  the 
Word;  is  more  definite  and  particular  in  meaning  than  na. 
U.  masi. 

si.  3.  trans.  suff.  to  verbs;  ada,  adasi. 
si.  4.  genitive;  ofu  si  doo,  bundles. 

sie-  (gu)  n.  used  as  preposition,  to,  towards,  at,  at  the  house  of;  lea 
go  siena,  go  to  him;  siena  ere ,  at  the  fire.  S.  sie. 
sifo  v.  i.,  to  go  down;  o  sifo  go;  you  go  down.  S.  siho. 
sikeraini,  v.  tr.,  to  free  from,  cast  off.  S.  sikera’ini. 
siko  locust. 

sina,  sinasina,  v.  i.,  to  shine;  fe  bubulu  sinasina,  a  bright  star, 
n.  light;  sinasinana,  its  light.  Mota  singa. 
sinali,  moon,  month. 

sinalitaini,  v.  tr.,  to  enlighten.  S.  sineli  moonlight, 
sinamaaru  n.,  lightning;  sinamaaru  ka  qangafia,  the  lightning 
‘roared.’ 

sinatai  v.  tr.,  to  keep  from,  beware  of,  guard, 
siqa  numeral,  eight;  e  siqa. 

siqana  ordinal,  eighth,  the  eighth  time.  S.  siwe. 
siramo  used  with  prep,  fua,  fonosi,  to  resist,  compel.  S.  ramo. 
sisime  a  gnat.  S.  sime. 

siu  1.  v.  i.,  to  wash,  bathe;  siu  abu,  to  baptize. 

siufi  v.  tr. 

siula  v.  n.,  washing,  bathing, 
siu,  sisiu  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  conceived. 

soe,  sosoe,  v.  i.,  to  call  out,  v.  tr.,  to  ask  for,  name;  soea  satana,  ask 
his  name. 

soefataia,  ecclesia,  church  (late  use), 
sofi  v.  tr.,  to  find. 

sofili  v.  tr.,  to  collect,  choose.  S.  so’ohi. 
sogoni  v.  tr.,  to  gather,  reap. 

sogonila  v.  n.,  gathering.  Mota.  sogon. 
soi,  sosoi,  v.  tr.,  to  call;  soi  ledi,  to  question.  S.  soi. 
sua;  1.  qaisuasuafi,  to  meet.  S.  su’e. 
sua,  suasua  2.  n.,  dung;  suasuae  ano,  dung, 
subi  a  club.  S.  supi. 
suda  v.  i.,  to  root,  of  pigs.  S.  sude. 

sufi  v.  tr.,  to  anoint,  to  rub,  to  shave  with  a  razor.  S.  suhi. 
suge,  susuge  v.  tr.,  to  deceive;  sugefafi,  to  accuse;  qalaa  susuge,  to 
accuse  falsely. 

suli  (nau)  prep.,  after,  according  to,  used  of  motion  towards;  the 
locative  i  may  precede.  S.  suli. 
sulitalaa  adj.,  safe,  free. 


60 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


sulu  n.,  oil,  liquid.  S.  sulu. 

sulufou  1.  mound  of  rocks,  stone  wall;  ui  sulufou,  to  build  a  mound 
(for  a  tomb). 

Sulufou  2.  an  artificial  islet  near  Ataa  Cove,  North  Malaita. 
sunga,  sungaini,  sungataini  v.  tr.,  to  affirm,  maintain,  persuade, 
sungi  v.  i.,  to  make  a  noise,  be  glad, 
sungia  v.  n.,  a  cry,  a  noise. 

Suraina  artificial  islet  South  of  Ataa  Cove;  original  home  of  Lau- 
speaking  people  in  Port  Adam, 
surakena;  bae  surakena,  to  prompt. 

susu  (gu)  1.  n.,  breast,  2.  v.  i.,  to  suck  the  breast,  to  have  children 
at  the  breast.  S.  susu. 

susu  3.  v.  i.,  to  be  firm;  susu  too,  to  be  steadfast.  S.  susu. 

susu  4.  v.  i.,  to  stretch  out;  susu  aba,  stretch  out  the  arm.  S.  susu. 

susui  v.  tr.,  to  touch  with  the  fingers,  to  set  on  a  stick, 
susubi  n.  a  dry  stick,  a  horn  (late  use). 

susuli  v.  tr.,  to  know,  understand,  be  aware  of;  ati  susulia,  who 
knows?  I  can’t  say. 
susia,  adj.  unfruitful,  not  bearing  fruit, 
suu  1.  a  harbour.  S.  su’u. 

suu  2.  used  with  prep .fafi;  suufafi,  to  clothe,  cover, 
suula  v.  n.,  clothing,  cloak. 

suu  3.  v.  i.,  to  set,  of  heavenly  bodies,  to  dive,  go  down,  sink, 
suula  v.  n.,  a  setting.  S.  suu. 

T 

ta  1.  numeral;  one,  a  certain  one,  at  all;  just,  only,  eta  one;  used  as 
article,  a,  an,  ta  si  fou,  one  rock;  na  tasifou,  one  rock;  ta  sata 
nia,  a  friend  of  his;  ta  si  doo,  anything;  ta  ola  lau,  a  different 
canoe;  ta  bali  aba,  one  hand,  the  other  hand;  e  langi  si  suu 
ana  ta  toongi,  not  clothed  in  any  clothing;  ta  sasina  ta  ai,  a 
man’s  brother;  ta  ro  ai,  only  two  people;  used  with  the 
numerals,  ta  ro  si  lio,  two  minds;  ta  ro  tangale  'penny,  two 
hundred  pence;  may  precede  fe,  tefuana  ta  fe  uo,  every  hill; 
ta  ro  fe  lamua,  just  two  doves;  ni  may  be  added,  ta  ni  aiai, 
some  other.  S.  ta’a;  Rotuma  ta;  cf.  Florida,  sakai,  M.  L. 
p.  524.  Wango  ta  M.  L.  p.  511. 
ta  2.  adv.  connects,  resumes  narrative,  and,  then, 
ta  3.  ending  of  verbal  noun,  seen  in  root  afuta  meaning  all,  and  used 
only  with  suff.  pron.;  afutagera,  all  of  them.  S.  ta. 
ta  4.  adv.  added  to  sui,  sui  ta,  thereupon;  follows  negative  langi, 
langi  ta,  or. 

ta;  5.  ta  mone,  perhaps. 

taa  1.  interrog.  pron.  what?  si  taa  na,  what  is  it?  S.  taa. 
taa  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  bad,  evil. 

taala  v.  n.,  evil;  ade  taala,  evil  doing.  S.  ta’a. 
taba  with  suff.  ani,  tabaani,  v.  tr.,  to  destroy,  remove.  S.  tapa. 
tae  v.  tr.,  to  lift  up.  S.  ta’e. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


61 


tafa  adv.,  out;  bae  tafa,  to  speak  out. 

tafangaini  v.  tr.,  sae  tafangaini,  to  speak  out.  S.  taha. 
tafangi  v.  tr.,  to  understand;  liona  e  tafangia,  he  understood  it. 
tafe,  a  bed,  bench,  barn,  bier.  S.  take. 
tafi  v.  i.,  to  flee. 

tafila  v.  n.,  flight.  S.  tahi. 
tafo  1.  v.  tr.,  to  catch  fish;  tafo  qe  ia. 
tafo  2.  v.  tr.,  to  purchase; 

tafoa  v.  n.,  a  bought  person,  servant.  S.  taho. 
tafua  dung  heap.  S.  alitehu. 
tafusi  v.  tr.,  to  strain;  qae  tafusi. 
taga  1.  v.  i.,  to  scatter,  throw  away, 
tagaani  v.  tr. 

taga  2.  v.  tr.,  to  lay  out,  spread. 

taga  3.  v.  i.,  to  sprout,  burst  into  leaf.  S.  taka. 

tagala  1.  v.  i.,  to  be  lost. 

tagalaini,  tagalangaini  v.  tr.,  to  drive  away,  cause  to  be  lost, 
tagalaa  adj.,  promiscuously;  ala  tagalaa ,  feed  here  and  there, 
tagala  2.  adj.,  irreverent;  soe  tagala ,  take  one’s  name  in  vain,  tataga. 
tagalo  v.  i.,  to  be  wandering. 

tagalola  adj.,  overgrown.  S.  takalo. 
tagaloloa  n.,  dust. 

tagesi  v.  tr.,  to  garnish,  decorate,  adorn. 

tai  1.  numeral,  one;  aqala  mana  tai,  eleven;  taifili,  alone.  Wango. 
tai. 

tai  2.  v.  tr.,  to  mend. 

taila  v.  n.,  a  patch,  seam. 

tai  3.  trans.  suff.  to  verb;  goni,  gonitai;  olitai  participle, 
taifili  (a)  alone;  taifili  gera,  they  alone.  S.  hili. 
taini  trans.  suff.  to  verb;  foaa,  foaataini.  S.  ta’ini. 
taingaini  v.  tr.,  to  lay  up,  store  up. 

take,  tatake,  v.  i.,  to  stand;  takefonosi,  to  guard.  S.  ta'e. 
takedila  v.  tr.,  to  cause  to  hit,  knock, 
takufi  v.  tr.,  to  receive.  S.  takuhi. 
tala  1.  way,  path.  S.  tala. 

tala  2.  (gu)  n.,  place,  room;  nao  talagu,  lead  the  way  for  me;  rao 
talai  fangala,  work  for  food.  S.  tala. 
tala  3.  with  prefix  ma,  matala,  only,  alone.  S.  tala  4. 
talaa  v.  i.,  to  shine,  of  sun. 

talae  v.  i.,  to  begin,  to  become;  talae  na  ne,  from  this  (that)  time 
forth. 

talaela,  v.  n.,  beginning.  S.  tala' ae. 
talai,  talani,  partic.,  wantonly,  for  no  reason.  S.  tale’i. 
talatala  v.  i.,  to  be  diligent. 

talo,  with  prefix  aini;  ainitalongaini,  to  proclaim.  S.  talo. 
talu  v.  i.,  to  sprinkle;  talu  fafi.  S.  danu. 

tama-  (gu),  used  with  sae  to  know;  nau  gu  sae  iamana.  I  know  (it), 
tani  some;  tani  oto  ni  saiai,  some  people. 


62 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


tangafulu,  numeral,  ten,  used  only  in  counting;  e  tangafulu. 

tangafulu  ana  tenth,  for  the  tenth  time.  S.  tangahulu. 
tangalau  numeral,  one  hundred;  e  tangalau;  tangale  doo,  one  hundred 
things.  S.  tangalau. 
taofai,  tataofai  v.  i.,  to  stumble, 
taraina  today,  now,  bye  and  bye. 
tarakaukau  a  bramble,  kakau. 
tarau  v.  i.,  to  be  continuous,  traditional. 

taraungaini  v.  tr.,  to  do  continuously.  S.  tarau. 
taru  a  chamber.  S.  duru. 

tasa  v.  i.,  to  be  too  much,  used  in  comparison;  nia  baita  tasaa  ana ,  it 
is  bigger  than  it. 

tasala  v.  n.,  ro  fe  tasala ,  twice  as  much, 
tasaa  adj.  excessive. 

tasaliu  v.  i.,  to  be  in  excess,  exceedingly. 

tata  adjectival  prefix;  tatagwelu,  headlong.  S.  tata. 

tatabi;  tatabi  i  tala,  a  bifurcation  of  the  path. 

tatae  v.  i.,  to  rise,  arise;  tatae  oli,  tatae  olila,  resurrection. 

tataea  v.  n.,  a  getting  up,  a  steep  place.  S.  ta’e. 
tataga  v.  i.,  bae  tataga,  to  speak  blasphemously. 

tatagala  adj.,  bae  tatagala,  to  speak  blasphemously, 
tatagwelu  adj.,  headlong.  S.  tataqelu. 
tatale  v.  tr.,  to  uncover,  reveal, 
tatao  v.  i.,  to  be  flat,  on  one’s  back, 
tau  1.  v.  i.,  to  wash;  tau  aba,  to  wash  hands, 
taufi  v.  tr. 

tau  2.  v.  i.,  to  be  far  off;  be  a  long  time;  too  ka  tau,  too  ka  tau,  for  ever 
and  ever.  S.  ha’atau. 

te  1.  numeral,  one,  the  same,  a  certain  one;  te  ni  ai,  a  certain  person; 
da  tefe  bae  ana  te  si  baela,  they  all  said  the  same  thing;  te  si 
na  doo,  everything;  te  taifilia  inia,  he  only;  used  of  units  (c/. 
Sa’a  ata ),  tefiufe  doo,  only  seven  things;  te  ai  ma  te  ai,  one  by 
one;  too  te  ai,  singly;  equivalent  to  and;  te  na  Mwela,  and  the 
Son.  Florida  keha,  one,  Kingsmill  te,  M.  L.  p.  246. 
te  2.  n.,  mother;  ni  te  nau,  my  mother. 

telana,  n.,  of  relationship,  ro  mwai  telana,  mother  and  child, 
wife.  S.  teitei. 

tea  v.  tr.,  to  utter,  speak;  e  tea  tesi  baela  nena,  speaking  the  same 
words.  S.  tea. 

tefe,  tel.fe  2.;  da  tefe  bae  ana  tesi  baela,  they  all  (only)  said  the  same 
thing;  tefe  mwela  matala,  an  only  son. 
tefou  with  one  accord,  together,  always, 
tefua  adj.,  irreverently,  haphazard, 
tefuana  all,  every,  ta  tefuana  tani  too,  all  peoples;  te  l.fu. 
tegelai  partic.,  lost,  dropped.  S.  tekela'i. 

teo,  teteo  v.  i.,  to  lie  down,  sleep;  teo  bole,  to  dream;  teo  bolea,  teo 
bolela,  v.  n.,  dream. 

teteola  adj.,  sleepy;  maada  e  teteola,  their  eyes  were  sleepy. 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


63 


teqa  v.  i.,  to  be  tall,  high. 

teqala  adj.;  take  teqala,  to  stand  erect.  S.  tewa. 
terefi  v.  tr.,  to  move  as  a  fan,  to  fan.  S.  tetere. 
tero  v.  i.,  to  be  ulcerous,  lame,  halt,  withered, 
tete;  1.  manata  tete ,  to  be  anxious, 
tete ;  2.  bubu  tete ,  to  look  fixedly, 
teu  a  wooden  bowl,  a  measure. 

ti  interrogative  pronoun,  sing,  who?  pi.  gerati;  ti  gera,  one  of  them; 
with  pers.  article  a,  ati  gera,  who  of  them?  ati  satamu,  what 
is  your  name?  S.  tei. 
tobi  v.  tr.,  to  gather,  garner;  n.  a  chamber, 
toda  v.  i.,  to  gain,  get,  collect;  toda  bata,  a  tax  gatherer, 
toe  v.  tr.,  to  strike  against,  to  desire;  liona  e  toea,  he  desired  it. 
tofu,  totofu  v.  tr.,  to  chop. 

tofuli  v.  tr.,  to  build,  to  chop  down.  S.  tohu. 
tokekela  (gu)  n.,  judgment, 
tolafa  (gu)  n.,  way,  method,  custom.  S.  tolaha. 
toli  down;  ada  toll,  look  down;  dau  tolingi,  to  cast  down;  toli  fanga 
to  fast,  toli  f angala,  fasting, 
tolingi  v.  tr.,  to  apportion,  give  share  to  at  a  feast, 
tolia  v.  n.,  a  portion  at  a  feast.  S.  toli. 
tolo  a  hill,  the  hill  country;  toloefera,  a  hill.  S.  tolo. 
tona  v.  i.;  liona  e  tona,  he  was  pricked  at  the  heart,  afraid, 
too  1.  (gu)  v.  tr.,  to  hit;  sato  toona,  the  sun  struck  it;  too  matafana, 
to  know;  manata  toona,  know  it;  too  ani,  understand;  too  meme, 
hit  and  break  in  pieces;  2.  to  possess,  have,  too  ai,  to  have 
relations. 

tooa  v.  n.,  lio  tooa,  wisdom, 
toonala  v.  n.,  manata  toonala,  thought, 
too  3.  v.  i.,  to  live,  dwell,  be;  too  laulau,  to  be  whole;  too  salaa,  to  be 
a  stranger,  too  ka  tau,  for  ever.  S.  Vo. 
toola  (gu)  v.  n.,  way,  fashion, 
too  4.  people,  race;  na  too. 

too  5.  prefixed  to  numerals,  at  a  time;  too  te  ai,  one  at  a  time. 
S.  too. 

too  6.  numeral,  one  thousand.  S.  Vo. 
toongi  1.  v.  i.,  to  clothe;  n.,  clothes.  S.  tooni. 
toongi  2.  v.  tr.,  to  pack,  load,  place.  S.  tooni. 
toromi  v.  tr.,  to  pierce.  S.  toromi. 
tosi  v.  tr.,  to  throw  away.  S.  ’ asi . 
tosiomelamwane  a  parable,  proverb, 
totolo  v.  tr.,  to  raise  the  voice.  S.  totolo. 

tou,  totou,  v.  i.,  to  be  little;  manata  ton,  to  make  little  of;  adj.  little; 
ni  ai  tou,  humbly. 

toula  v.  n.,  manata  toula,  humility;  toula  (gu)  in  youth, 
toula-  (na),  i  toulana  asi,  on  the  surface  of  the  sea. 


64 


LAU  VOCABULARY. 


U 

ua  adv.,  still,  yet;  ua  mai  inao,  from  of  old;  e  mae  ua  na,  already  dead; 
ua  mai  ana  lua,  from  the  time  of  the  flood,  ua  inao,  old,  afore¬ 
time;  ua  go  i  uarodo,  while  still  dark;  e  langi  ua,  not  yet,  still 
wanting.  S.  ue. 
uarodo  dawn,  morning,  rodo. 
ubuubu  v.  i.,  to  be  thick,  deep.  S.  ’upu. 
uda  v.  i.,  to  be  new,  fresh, 
udu,  uduudu,  v.  i.,  to  drip,  n.,  a  drop.  S.  ’udu. 

udufa  v.  n.,  a  dropping,  drops, 
ueli  v.  tr.,  to  happen  adversely  to. 
ufi  1.  v.  tr.,  to  blow;  ufi  bungu,  to  blow  a  conch  shell. 

ufiani  v.  tr.,  to  breathe  into,  inspire.  S.  ’ uhi . 
ufi  2.  a  yam.  S.  uhi . 
ufi  3.  v.  tr.,  to  draw  water, 
uga  v.  i.,  to  spill,  to  be  wasted, 
ugani  v.  tr.,  to  grumble  at.  S.  uqe. 
ui,  uiani  v.  tr.,  to  throw,  cast.  S.  Vi. 
ulu  v.  i.,  to  wade. 

ulufaini  v.  tr.,  to  carry  a  person  over  water.  S.  ulu. 
ulufi  v.  tr.,  to  vex,  grieve.  S.  unuhi. 
ulunga,  urunga,  to  serve  as  a  pillow;  n.,  a  pillow. 

urungai  v.  tr.,  to  recline  the  head.  S.  ulunge. 
umu  oven.  S.  umu. 
unua  n.,  folk  lore,  a  yarn.  S.  unu. 
unga  (gu)  n.,  skin. 
uohill;/euo.  S.  uo. 

uri  1.  v.  tr.,  to  tread,  tread  on;  uri  sufu,  to  tread  through, 
urila  v.  n.,  tread,  step.  S.  uri. 

uri,  urina,  2.  adv.,  like,  thus;  nia  kafi  uri,  he  spake  thus,  rao  uri,  to 
do  like,  to  tend,  ele  uri,  to  desire.  S.  uri. 
uria  adj.,  like,  used  as  adv.,  toolada  ka  uria  alafana,  their  way  shall 
be  like  as  if. 
urii  adv.,  just  now. 
uruuru;  si  salo  uruuru,  fleecy  cloud, 
usi  (nau)  prep.,  over,  for,  on  behalf  of. 
usia  n.,  a  market;  ifuli  usia,  in  the  market  place.  S.  usie. 
usu  v.  tr.,  to  wipe,  anoint.  S.  usu. 
usungaia  n.,  commandment.  S.  usunge’i. 

uta  1.  n.,  rain;  v.  i.,  to  rain;  na  uta  ka  uta,  the  rain  rains.  Florida 
uha. 

uta  2.  adv.,  interrog.  how?  si  manga  uta,  what  time?  nia  kafi  uta, 
what  will  he  do?  S.  u’e. 

uwa  v.  tr.,  to  lift;  uwa  maa,  to  lift  the  eye.  S.  uwe. 


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